Isaiah 21:13

The burden upon Arabia— While God revealed to his prophet the fate of foreign nations, among others he declared that of those Arabians who inhabited the western part of Arabia Deserta or Petraea; that they should be oppressed and driven into flight by the Assyrians, a calamity which should fall upon them within a year. These Arabians bordered upon the Idumaeans. This prophesy, besides the inscription, contains first, an exordial denunciation of the divine judgment; Isaiah 21:13. Secondly, A figurative declaration thereof, Isaiah 21:14. Thirdly, a confirmation, with a discovery of the time when this judgment should be executed, and of the greatness thereof, to be collected from its consequences. The Arabians here mentioned were the Nabathaean Arabians, so called from Nebaioth, who is said to have been the first-born of Ishmael, Genesis 25:13. They are called the children of Kedar, who was the brother of Nebaioth; and also inhabitants of the land of Tema, who was another brother of Nebaioth; and also Dedanim; that is to say, the sons or descendants of Dedan, who was the son of Jokshan, the son of Abraham by Keturah. See Jeremiah 49:28. The time of the delivery, and that of the completion of this prophesy, it is evident, were closely connected; and Vitringa thinks that it was the same year with that mentioned, chap. Isaiah 20:1 when Salmanezer, after having possessed himself of the fortified cities of Palestine, and driven away the Egyptians and Ethiopians, or Cushites, the next year invaded the Nabathaean Arabs, who were of their party, that he might prepare his way for the invasion of Egypt. The meaning of the exordial proposition in this verse is, "O ye Dedanites, who used to follow your business securely in the desarts of Arabia Petraea, you will be compelled, through fear of the enemies' sword, to retire into the inner parts, the forests of Arabia, having left your tents and the furniture behind, and to pass your nights in inhospitable places. See Jeremiah 8:22. Diodorus Siculus says of the Arabians, that when they are attacked by any powerful enemy, they fly into the desart, εις την ερημον, as into a place of defence." The ερημος of Diodorus seems to be the same with the יער iangar of our prophet; that is to say, the interior recesses of the desart.