_Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness [which] they have prescribed;_ Ver. 1. _Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees._] Having denounced woe to wicked of all sorts, the prophet here threateneth wicked princes in particular, as the chief causes of God's j... [ Continue Reading ]
To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and [that] they may rob the fatherless! Ver. 2. _To turn away the needy from judgment._] To put them beside their right, because indigent, and overweighed by the wealthy ones... [ Continue Reading ]
And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation [which] shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? Ver. 3. _And what will ye do in the day of visitation._] That is, of vastation by the Assyrians. _ To whom will ye flee for help._] Wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still. Ver. 4. _Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners,_] _i.e., _ Without any fault of mine. Hos 13:9 Or, as some render i... [ Continue Reading ]
_O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation._ Ver. 5. _O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger._] Or, Woe to the Assyrian; or, _Heu Assur,_ Alas, the Assyrian! _q.d., _ Alas, that I am forced by this sharp and iron rod to correct my people, whom I have bred so choi... [ Continue Reading ]
I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Ver. 6. I will send him … I will give him a charge.] _Non patefacta quidem voluntate, sed arcana... [ Continue Reading ]
Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but [it is] in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. Ver. 7. _Howbeit he meaneth not so._] He is otherwise minded and affected than I am, and doeth my will merely beside and against his own will. As in applying of leeches the... [ Continue Reading ]
For he saith, [Are] not my princes altogether kings? Ver. 8. _For he saith._] Sennacherib saith. See Isaiah 36:9; Isaiah 36:15; Isaiah 36:18; Isaiah 36:20; Isaiah 37:10; Isaiah 37:13; Isaiah 37:24,25. A great part of this whole book of Isaiah concerneth Sennacherib. _ Are not my princes altogether... [ Continue Reading ]
Isaiah 10:9 [Is] not Calno as Carchemish? [is] not Hamath as Arpad? [is] not Samaria as Damascus? Ver. 9. _Is not Calno as Carchemish?_] Here in a vaunt he reckoneth up six royal cities vanquished by himself and his ancestors; and boasteth how with a wet finger, as we say, he had taken in all the c... [ Continue Reading ]
_As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;_ Ver. 10. _As my hand hath found._] _Nota fastum tyranni,_ Note the arrogance of this tyrant, saith A. Lapide. It was his hand did all, and not God's - like as afterwards Timotheus,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?_ Ver. 11. _Shall I not as I have done._] God is not in all this man's thoughts; himself doeth all that is done. _ So do to Jerusalem._] Why, no; for "their rock is not as our rock," might God's people have r... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore it shall come to pass, [that] when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. Ver. 12. _Wherefore._] Heb., And. A close connection: where pride is in the saddl... [ Continue Reading ]
For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done [it], and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant [man]: Ver. 13. _For he saith, By the strength of my hand, &c._] _Viva haec... [ Continue Reading ]
And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs [that are] left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. Ver. 14. _And my hand had found._] See Isaiah 10:10 . _ As a nest._] Or, As in a nest, where... [ Continue Reading ]
Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? [or] shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake [itself] against them that lift it up, [or] as if the staff should lift up [itself, as if it were] no wood. Ver. 15. _Shall the axe boast itself._]... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. Ver. 16. Therefore shall the Lord … send among his fat ones,] _i.e., _ _Pingues, torosos et validos milites,_ his lusty and mastive soldiers, in w... [ Continue Reading ]
And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day; Ver. 17. _And the light of Israel shall be for a fire._] To Israel he shall be a comfortable light - to their enemies a consuming fire, as Exodus 14:24. _Ecc... [ Continue Reading ]
_And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth._ Ver. 18. _And he shall consume the glory of his forest,_] _i.e., _ Of his army, cutting his way through a wood of men, and felling the very glory of his g... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them._ Ver. 19. And the rest of the trees … shall be few.] Heb., A number; _methe mispar,_ a poor few, and inconsiderable company, that may soon be told. _ That a child may write them._] The Hebrews say that Sennacherib... [ Continue Reading ]
And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. Ver. 20. _And it shall come to pass in that day._] _Meras consolatio... [ Continue Reading ]
The remnant shall return, [even] the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. Ver. 21. _A remnant shall return,_] _scil., _ To the Lord by true repentance, from whom they had deeply revolted. But of these there is but as a "remnant" - a poor few - in comparison of the whole piece of cloth.... [ Continue Reading ]
For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, [yet] a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. Ver. 22. _Yet a remnant of them shall return,_] _i.e., _ Shall be saved from Sennacherib, but especially from Satan, that old man slayer. Romans 9... [ Continue Reading ]
For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land. Ver. 23. _For the Lord God of hosts shall make, &c._] Here the same thing is repeated, by way of asseveration, because not easily believed or digested, but would lie heavy as hard meat. "Behold the se... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. Ver. 24. _O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid._] _Quam paterne omnia._ As a... [ Continue Reading ]
_For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction._ Ver. 25. _For yet a very little while._] Heb., A little little, or a little of a little. Yet a little modicum, and wrath shall be at an end. Oecolampadius rendereth it, _Adhuc paululum, minus quam p... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and [as] his rod [was] upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt. Ver. 26. _And the Lord of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him._] Far worse than that rod. Isa 10:2... [ Continue Reading ]
And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. Ver. 27. _And the yoke shall be destroyed, because of the anointing._] That is, because or for the sake of Me... [ Continue Reading ]
He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages: Ver. 28. _He is come to Aiath._] _Elegans hypotyposis,_ a dainty description of Sennacherib's invasion into the land, and progress with his army toward Jerusalem, through the tribe of Benjamin. _ He is passed t... [ Continue Reading ]
They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled. Ver. 29. _They are gone over the passages,_] _i.e., _ The straits, between two rocks. 1Sa 13:22... [ Continue Reading ]
Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth. Ver. 30. _Lift up thy voice._] Heb., _Hinni, i.e., _ _claram vocem ede, eamque lugubrem,_ make a grievous outcry, _eiula, quiritare; nam certa tibi imminet vastitas,_ for thou art undone. _ O poor Anathoth._... [ Continue Reading ]
Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee. Ver. 31. _Madmena is removed,_] _i.e., _ Fled for fear, as Gibeah. Isa 10:29... [ Continue Reading ]
As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand [against] the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. Ver. 32. _He shall shake his hand,_] viz., At Jerusalem, as threatening her destruction; but she shall shake her head at him in contempt Isa 37:21 God oft lets his ene... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature [shall be] hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled. Ver. 33. _Behold, the Lord shall lop the bough,_] _i.e., _ Those of greatest state and stature in the Assyrian army. _ And the haughty shall be... [ Continue Reading ]
And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one. Ver. 34. _By a mighty one._] _a_ That is, by an angel. Isa 37:36 _Psalms 78:25_ _; _ Psa 89:5-6 _ a_ _Per magnificum._... [ Continue Reading ]