Isaiah 14:31

Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times. HOWL, O GATE - i:e., ye who throng the gate; the chief place of concourse in a city. THERE SHALL COME FROM THE NORTH - Judea, north and east of Philistia. A SMOKE - from the signal fire, whereby the hostile army was called together. The Jews' signal-fire is meant here, the "pillar of cloud and fire" (Exodus 13:21; Nehemiah 9:19); or else "a smoke" from the region devastated by fire (Maurer). Gesenius less probably, refers it to the cloud of dust raised by the invading army. NONE SHALL BE ALONE IN HIS APPOINTED TIMES - rath...

31._Howl, O gate. _Here the Prophet makes use of amplifications, that by means of them he may seal his predictions on the hearts of the godly, and may press with greater earnestness those things of which they might otherwise have entertained doubts. In explaining another passage, where it is said that _her gates shall mourn and lament_, (Isaiah 3:26,) we have stated that _the gates _mean crowded places, in which public meetings were held. (232) He threatens that there will be _mourning _in each of the cities, and mourning of no ordinary kind, for it will be spread through every one of the most crowded assemblies. _For a smoke cometh from the north. _We may understand _Smoke _to mean _Fire_, so that the sign will denote the thing signified; for the _smoke _appears before the _fire _burns. By the north

28-32 Assurance is given of the destruction of the Philistines and their power, by famine and war. Hezekiah would be more terrible to them than Uzziah had been. Instead of rejoicing, there would be lamentation, for the whole land would be ruined. Such destruction will come upon the proud and rebellious, but the Lord founded Zion for a refuge to poor sinners, who flee from the wrath to come, and trust in his mercy through Christ Jesus. Let us tell all around of our comforts and security, and exhort them to seek the same refuge and salvation....

Verse Isaiah 14:31. _THERE SHALL COME FROM THE NORTH A SMOKE _- "From the north cometh a smoke"] That is, a cloud of dust raised by the march of Hezekiah's army against Philistia; which lay to the south-west from Jerusalem. A great dust raised has, at a distance, the appearance of smoke: _Fumantes pulvere campi_; "The fields _smoking_ with dust." - VIRG. AEn. xi. 908....

HOWL, O GATE - That is, ye who throng the gate. The gates of a city were the chief places of concourse. CRY, O CITY - The prophet here fixes the attention upon some principal city of Philistia, and calls upon it to be alarmed in view of the judgments that were about to come upon the whole land. ART DISSOLVED - The word ‘dissolved’ (מוג _mûg_) is applied to that which melts, or which wastes away gradually, and then to that which faints or disappears. It means here that the kingdom of Philistia would disappear, or be destroyed. It probably conveys the idea of its fainting, or becoming feeble from fear or apprehension. FROM THE NORTH A SMOKE - From the regions of Judah, which lay north and east of Philistia. The ‘smoke’ here probably refers to a cloud of dust that would be seen to rise

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 14:1 THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL, AND HER SONG OF TRIUMPH OVER BABYLON. The destruction of Babylon is to be followed by the restoration of Israel, with the good will of the nations, and by their exercising rule over their late oppressors (Isaiah 14:1, Isaiah 14:2). In this time of rest and refreshment they will sing a song of triumph over Babylon. The song extends from Isaiah 14:4 to...

HOWL, O GATE,.... Or gates of the cities of Palestine; the magistrates that sat there to execute judgment, or the people that passed through there; or because now obliged to open to their enemies; wherefore, instead of rejoicing, they are called to howling: CRY, O CITY; or cities, the several cities of the land, as well as their chief, because of the destruction coming upon them. The Targum is, "howl over thy gates, and cry over thy cities;'' or concerning them: THOU, WHOLE PALESTINA, [ART] DISSOLVED; or "melted"; through fear of enemies coming upon them; or it may design the entire overthrow and dissolution of their state; FOR THERE SHALL COME FROM THE NORTH A SMOKE; a numerous army, raising a dust like smoke as they move along, and coming with great "swiftness", and very annoying. Some understand this of the Chaldean army under Nebuchadnezzar coming from Babylon, which lay north o...

Isaiah 14:1. _For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob._ This promise had a measure of fulfillment when Israel was brought back from Babylon; and still is it true that, when God's people come to their worst, there is always something better before them. On the other hand, it is equally sure that, when sinners come to their best, there is always something terrible awaiting them. The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, «God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew;» and his declaration agrees with this prophecy, «The Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land.» I believe that there will be a far grander fulfillment of this prophecy in that day when God shall bring back his chosen people to

CHAPTER 14 Israel's Restoration and Blessing After Babylon is Fallen and the Burden of Philistia 1. _Israel's restoration and exaltation (Isaiah 14:1)_ 2. _The proverb against the king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:3)_ 3. _The triumph over Lucifer (Satan) (Isaiah 14:12)_ 4. _Babylon's destruction (Isaiah 14:21)_ 5. _The Assyrian broken (Isaiah 14:24)_ 6. _The burden of Philistia (Isaiah 14:28)_ When the last great Babylon is

PHILISTIA'S EXULTATION IS PREMATURE: WORSE CALAMITIES ARE AT HAND. The Philistines are warned not to rejoice that the rod which has oppressed them is broken, for the tyrant's successor will smite them with greater severity. At first sight it might seem, on account of the title, that the breaking of the rod referred to the death of Ahaz. But we do not know that the Philistines were at this time in any way subject to Judah, and it is likely that both Jews and Philistines were subject to Assyria. Nor does the prophecy favour this view, since it represents Judah as in poverty, while the description of the enemy that is coming upon Philistia points unmistakably to Assyria, if Isaiah is the author. Probably, then, the reference is to the death of an Assyrian king. We might think of Tiglath-Pileser's death in 727, or Shalmaneser's _in_ 722, or Sargon's in 705 (pp. 59, 70f.). Titles are often un...