Isaiah 31:4

The verse reads: As the lion growls, and the young lion over his prey, against whom the whole band of shepherds has been called out he is not terrified by their cry, nor dismayed at their shouting so Jehovah of Hosts will come down, &c. Compare with this truly Homeric simile Il. 18:161 f., 12:299 ff. It is unfortunate that so graphic an image should be thought capable of two diametrically opposite interpretations. According to many commentators it expresses Jehovah's determination to defend Jerusalem against the Assyrians. But the figure would certainly be "ill-chosen" if the lion were represented as protecting his prey and the shepherds as anxious to destroy it. The only natural construction is that Jehovah (through the Assyrians, as in Isaiah 29:3-4) will hold Jerusalem helpless in His power as the lion holds his prey; though the noisy crowd of shepherds (the Egyptians) try to scare him away. The only advantage of the other view is that the transition from threatening to promise would be somewhat less abrupt at the beginning of Isaiah 31:4 than at the beginning of Isaiah 31:5; but that is not a sufficient reason for straining the figure in the way proposed.

to fight for mount Zion, and for Render: to fight against … and against, as in every other case where the phrase occurs (ch. Isaiah 29:7-8; Numbers 31:7; Zechariah 14:12). The translation "upon mount Zion and upon" is only adopted in order to maintain the favourable construction of the verse.