Isaiah 31:9

And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem. HE SHALL PASS OVER TO HIS STRONG HOLD FOR FEAR - rather, 'he shall pass beyond his strongholds;' he shall not stop to take refuge in it through fear () (Gesenius); Literally, 'and through fear he shall pass his rock'-namely, his border strongholds in his own land, on the line of march from Judea to Nineveh (). The English version makes Nineveh "his strong hold." Margin, as the Septuagint, Vulgate, Chaldaic, and Syriac make, "his rock' - i:e., his army, which was his rock-like dependence-`shall pass away through fear;' or, as the Chaldaic, by a fearful miracle. And his princes shall be afraid of the...

9._He shall pass to his stronghold for fear. _(327) He now speaks of Sennacherib himself, who, trembling, shall betake himself in base and shameful flight to his “stronghold” or fortress, Nineveh, as to his nest. (2 Kings 19:36.) The Prophet adds that “his princes,” or military officers, whose duty it is to encourage the rest of the soldiers, will be so timid that they shall not venture to join the ranks or await the battle, but shall “flee away from the standard.” _Saith Jehovah, who hath a fire in Zion. _At length he declares that he is God’s herald in making this proclamation, that the Jews may not, as they are accustomed to do, dispute or hesitate as to the accomplishment of it, or afterwards forget so great a blessing, and ascribe it to fortune. If we read, as some do, Whose fire is in Zion, the meaning will be, that God has abundan

6-9 They have been backsliding children, yet children; let them return, and their backslidings shall be healed, though they have sunk deep into misery, and cannot easily recover. Many make an idol of their silver and gold, and by the love of that are drawn from God; but those who turn to God, will be ready to part with it. Then, when they have cast away their idols, shall the Assyrian fall by the sword of an angel, who strikes more strongly than a mighty man, yet more secretly than a mean man. God can make the stoutest heart to tremble. But if we keep up the fire of holy love and devotion in our hearts and houses, we may depend upon God to protect us and them....

AND HE SHALL PASS OVER - Margin, ‘His rock shall pass away for fear.’ The Hebrew would bear this, but it does not convey a clear idea. The sense seems to be this. The word rendered ‘stronghold’ (Hebrew, ‘His rock’) denotes his fortifications, or the places of strength in which he trusted. Probably the Assyrian monarch had many such places which he regarded as perfectly secure, both in the limits of his own kingdom, and on the line of his march toward Judea. Those places would naturally be made strong, in order to afford a refuge in case of a defeat. The idea here is, that so great would be his alarm at the sudden destruction of his army and the failure of his plans, that in his flight he would “pass over” or “beyond” these strong places; he would not even stop to take refuge there and reorganize his scattered forces, but would flee with alarm “beyond” them, and make his way to his own ca...

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 31:1 A FURTHER WARNING AGAINST SEEKING THE ALLIANCE OF EGYPT. This prophecy seems to be quite independent of the last (Isaiah 30:1). It may have been given earlier or later. The chief point brought out, which had not distinctly appeared previously, is the value set on the horses and chariots of Egypt in the conflict with Assyria. ISAIAH 31:1 WOE TO THEM THAT GO DOWN TO EGYPT FOR HELP (comp. Isaiah 30:1,...

AND HE SHALL PASS OVER TO HIS STRONG HOLD FOR FEAR,.... This is said of the king of Assyria, departing in haste from the siege of Jerusalem, to some strong hold in his own country, particularly his strong city Nineveh, for fear of the angel, and destruction following him; nor could he think himself safe, until he had got there. Some render it (and the original will bear it), "and his rock shall pass over for fear" a; his mighty men, his men of valour, in whom he trusted, and put his confidence, who were his strength, on which he depended; these, as many as were left of them, fled away. So the Targum, "his princes shall flee for fear;'' though these are expressed in the next clause: AND HIS PRINCES SHALL BE AFRAID OF THE ENSIGN; any ensign or standard they saw, supposing it to be a detachment of the Jews in pursuit of them; or not daring afterwards to face any enemy with their banners...

CHAPTER 31 The Fifth Woe Against Them that Go Down to Egypt 1. _The Egyptian Alliance condemned again (Isaiah 31:1)_ 2. _Jehovah promises to deliver Jerusalem (Isaiah 31:4) _ All looks forward towards the future. It is Jerusalem's glorious future. The Lord will deliver it; He will preserve it (Isaiah 31:5)....

ISAIAH 31. THE FOLLY OF RELIANCE ON EGYPT. JERUSALEM WILL BE PROTECTED, AND ASSYRIA OVERTHROWN. vv. Isaiah 31:6 f. seems to be an interpolation. Isaiah 31:4 f_._ creates serious difficulties. Isaiah 31:4 apparently represents Yahweh as attacking (_mg._) Zion, undismayed by its rulers as a lion is undismayed by the shepherds, whereas Isaiah 31:5, with an abrupt change of metaphor, represents Him as Jerusalem's protector. By drastic measures we can remove the discrepancy; the passage then represented Yahweh either as hostile to Jerusalem or as its protector. Of the two the latter is preferable, but it involves the omission of so shall..

PASS OVER. Not the same word as in Isaiah 31:5 (which is _pasah)._ Here, Hebrew. _'abar,_ to cross over, or retreat....

The discomfiture of the Assyrians will be accomplished by Jehovah Himself. The connexion with what precedes is not very close....