BURDEN] oracle, or prophecy: see Jeremiah 23:33. IN THE LAND] RV 'upon the land.' HADRACH] not mentioned elsewhere in the Bible. On the Assyrian tablets it is associated with Damascus, and must have been somewhere in that quarter, in the valley of the Orontes. The various places mentioned follow th... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDGMENTS ON THE NATIONS. THE PRINCE OF PEACE 1-8. A judgment is about to fall on Damascus, Hamath, Tyre, Sidon, and the cities of the Philistines. A remnant from Philistia will acknowledge God. God will encamp around His sanctuary. 9, 10. The coming of Messiah and His kingdom of peace. 11-17. Ho... [ Continue Reading ]
HAMATH] a city in the valley of the Orontes, in Upper Syria. It was renamed Epiphaneia by Antiochus Epiphanes. SHALL BORDER THEREBY] RV 'which bordereth thereon.' Tyre (Tyrus) and Sidon were famous cites on the coast of Syria, inhabited by the Phœnicians, who were renowned, like their descendants th... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SEA] i.e destroy her commerce.... [ Continue Reading ]
ASHKELON, etc.] cities of the Philistines. After taking Tyre, Alexander marched down the coast to these cities. He captured Gaza after a two months' siege. FOR HER EXPECTATION SHALL BE ASHAMED] i.e. her pride will be humbled.... [ Continue Reading ]
A BASTARD] probably a son of a mixed race. The idea evidently is that the city would be depopulated by war, and aliens would be installed by the conquerors. 7. This mixed race will be purified from their idolatry. The second half of this v. might be rendered as follows: 'But there shall be a remnan... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE OF THE ARMY] RM 'for a guard or garrison.' BECAUSE OF HIM, etc.] RV 'that none pass through or return.' OPPRESSOR] better, perhaps, 'invader'; the reference is either to Alexander or some similar conqueror. HAVE I SEEN WITH MINE EYES] viz. the iniquity of the oppressing heathen. 9. The adve... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHARIOT.. THE HORSE.. THE BATTLE BOW] These too-familiar objects will have no place in Messiah's kingdom. He shall speak peace unto the nations. FROM SEA _even_ TO SEA] from the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean. FROM THE RIVER] the Euphrates. 11. To the Jews in exile specially does the message of... [ Continue Reading ]
STRONG HOLD] probably Jerusalem. PRISONERS OF HOPE] i.e. the Jews, who by their covenant with God had a sure hope of deliverance. DOUBLE] cp. Isaiah 61:7 evidently a reference to restoration from exile. 13. The prophet again plunges into a vision of war. The vision is figurative; God is to use Jud... [ Continue Reading ]