Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
A Rjmnanl of Israel shall be Saved. ISAIAH X. Israel to be Delivered from Assyria.
—"A consumption, and whatever is determined." or decreed. [Maurer.] midst—Zion, the central point of tlie earth as to Jehovah's presence, land—Lsrael. But LXX., " in the whole habitable world." So English Version (Romans 9. 28), "upon the earth." 34:. Therefore—Return to the main proposition, Assyria's ultimate punisliment, though employed as God's " rod " to chastise Judea lor a time. O my people—God's tenderness towards His elect nation, after . . . manner of Egypt—as Egypt and Pharaoh oppressed thee. Implying, too, as Israel was neverthelesa delivered from them, so now it would be from the Assyrian Sennacherib. The antithesis in 20 requires this interpretation. [Maurer.] 35. For—Be not afraid (d. 21), /or, &c. Indignation . . . cease— the punishments of God against Israel shall be consummated and ended (ch. 26. 20; Daniel 11.36). "Till the Indignation be accomplished," &c. mine anger—shall turn to their (the Assyrians') desti-uction. 36. slaughter of—stroke upon. Midian—(Ch.
aside oW, and substituted new boundaries of kingdoms at will. A ciinii Qal act, as Jehovah Himself had appointed tlu' boundaries of the nations (Deuteronomy 32.8). treas Hres /loardeil treasures. [HOKSLEY.] put down . . . iiiliabitantg like, &c.—rather, "as a valiant man, I have brought down (from their seats) those seated" (viz., on Ml rones: as in Psalm2.-1; 29. 10; 5.5.19. The Hebrew for "He that abidetli," is He that sitteth on a throne); otherwise, " I have broight doicn (as captives into Assyria, which lay lorver lhan Judea; therefore 'brought down,' cf. ch. 36. 1. 10), the inhabitants." [Maurer.] 14. nest— Implying the ease with which he carried ofl Tall befoi'e him. left—by the parent bird, none . . . moved . . . Avlng—Image from an angry bird resisting the robbery of its "nest." peeped— cliirped even low (ch. 8. 19). No resistance was ofl'ered nie, of deed, or even word. 15. Shall the instrument boast against Him who uses it? Though free in a sense, and carrying out his own plans, the Assyrian was uuconeiously carrying out God's purposes, sitaketli It moves it back and forward, staff. . . lift . . . itself . . . no wood—rather, "as if the staff (man, the instrument of God's judcments on his fellow-man) should set aside (Him who is) not wood " (not a mere instrument, as man). On "no wood" cf. Deuteronomy 32.21, "that which is not God;" ch. 31.8 shows that God is meant here by "not wood." [Maurer.] 16. fat ones—(Ch. 5. 17.) The robust and choice soldiei's of Assyria (Psalm 78. 31, where "fattest" answers in the parallelism to "chosen," or "young men," Margin), leanness—carrying out the image in "fat ones;" Destruction (Psalm 106. 15). Fulfilled (ch. 37. 36).
9. 4 ; Judges 7. 25.) as . . . rod was upon . . . sea—rather, understanding stroke from the previous clause, "according to the stroke of His rod upon the Red Sea" (Exodus 14.
16, 26). His " rod " on the Assyrian (v. 24, 26) stands in bold contrast to the Assyrian used as a "i-od" to strike others
(v. 5). after tlie manner of Egypt—as He lifted it up again.st Egypt at the Red Sea. 37. his burden—the Assyrians' oppression (ch. 9. 3). Judah was still tributary to Assyria; Hezekiah had not yet revolted, as he did in the beginning of Sennacherib's reign, because of—(Hosfc,- '0.
15.) tlie anointing—viz., Messiah (Daniel 9. 24). Just as in ch. 9. 4-6, the "breaking of the yoke of" the enemies' " burtlen and staff" Is attributed to Mes.na/i, "For unto us a child is born," &c., so it Is liere. Maurer not so well translates, " Because of the fatness ;" an image of the Assyrians' yiore and wanton pride dr&wn from a well-fed bull tossing off the yoke (Deuteronomy 32. 15). So v. 10 above, and ch.5. 17, "fat ones." 38-33. Onward gradual march of Sennacherib's army towards Jerusalem, and the panic of tlie inhabitants vividly pictured before the eyes, eomo to—come upon as a sudden invader (Genesis 34. 27). Alath —same as Ai (Joshua 7. 2; Nehemiah 7. 32). In the north of Benjamin; so the other towns also; all on the line of march to Jerusalem. Michmash—nine miles north-east of Jerusalem, laid up . . . carriages—He has left his heavier baggage (so "carriages" for the tilings carried, Acts
Isis glory—Assyria's nobles. So in ch. 5. 13 Margin; ch. 8.
7. kindle—a new image from /ire consuming quickly dry materials (Zechariah 12. 6). 17, 18. light of Israel—carrying out the image in the end of v. 16. Jehovah, who is a light to Israel, shall be the " Are" (Deuteronomy 4. 2-1 ; Hebrews 12.29) that shall ignite tlie ihorns(the Assyrians, like dry fuel, a ready prey to flame), tlioms, &c. 18. glory of . . . forest—The common soldiers, the princes, offl.cer.i, &c., all alike together, shall be consumed (Note ch. 9. 18). in one day—(Ch. 37. 36.) fruitful. tield — Carmel, a rich mountain in tlie tribe of Aslier. J'/iy. for Sennacherib's mighty army. Perhaps alluding to his own boasting words about to be uttered (ch. 37. 24), "I will enter the forest of his Carmel." soul and body—proverbial for utterly : the entire man is made up of soul and body, as wlien a standard-bearer faintcth—rather, " they shall be ns when a sick man (from a Syriac root) wastes away."
21. 15) at Michmash, so as to be more lightly equipped for the siege of Jerusalem. So 1 Samuel 17. 22; 2.5. 13; 30. ai. [Jerome and Maurer.] 39. passage—The Jaws of fh<} M-ady or defile at Michmash (1 Samuel 13. 23; J4. 4, !)). lodging—their quarters for the night, after having passed the defile which might have been easily guarded against them. Kamali—near Geba; seven miles from Jerusalem. Glbcnh of Saul—his birth-place and residence, in B'^njamin (1 Samuel 11. 4), distinct from Gibeah of Judah (Joshu&
Cf. " leanness, " i.e., wasting destruction (ti. 16). [Maurer.] Or, "there shall be an entire dissipation, like a perfect melting" (viz., of the Assyrian army). [Horsley.] 19. rest—Those who shall survive the destruction of the host, his forest—some image as in v. 18, for the once dense army, eliilil . . . write—so few that a child might count them. 80-'J3. Tlie eflV'ct on the "remnant" (contrasted with the Assyrian reinnant, r. 10), viz., those who shall be left after the invasion of tMiinaclierib, will be a return from dependence on external idolatrous nations, as Assyria and Egypt
15. 57). 30. daughter of Gallim— and her sons (Note ch. 1.8; 2 Kings 19. 21). "Cry aloud in consternation." Laish—not the town in Dan (Judges IS. 7), but one of the same name near Jerusalem (1 Maccabees 9. 9). Anatliotln-three miles from Jerusalem in Benjamin ; the birth-place of Jeremiah. "Poor" is applied to it in pity, on account of the impending calamity. Others translate. Answer her, O Anathoth. 31. Madmenali—not the city In Simeon (Joshua 15. 31), but a village near Jeru.salem. removed—fled from fear, gatlier ttiemseives to flee "put tlicir goods In a place of safety." [Maurer.] 33. that tiny—lit., "As yet this (one only)day (Is allowed to the soldiers) for remaining (halting for rest) at Nob;" northeast of Jerusalem on Olivet; a town of the priests (Nehemiah 11. 32). daughter—rightly substituted for the Chetib reading, ftoiMP. His "shaking his hand" In menace implies that he is now at Nob, ?/;rt/im m'ff/i)^ o/" .lerusalem. 30. l»ougIi—W., the beauty of the tree; the beautiful brancli. high ones of stature— "the upright stem," as distinguished from tlie previous "boughs." [Housr.EY.l 34. Tills verse and v. describe the sudden arrest and overthrow of Sennacherib in the height of hi« success; v. 18, 19; Ezekiel 31. 3, Ac., 14, &c., contain the same Image; "Lebanon" and Its forest are the .\ssyrlan army; the "Iron" axe that fells the forest refers to the stroke which
(2 Kings IS. 21 ; 10. 7-9), to the God of the theocracy ; fulfilled in part in the pious Hezekiah's days; but from the future aspect under which St. Paul, in Romans 9. 27, 28 (cf. " sliort work" with " whole work," v. 12, here), regards the whole prophecy, the "remnant," "who stay upon the Lord," probably will receive their fullest realization In the portion of Jews left after that Anticlirist shall have been overthrown, wl)o shall " return" unto the Lord (ch. 6.13; 7.3; Zechariah 12.0,10; 1-1.2,3; Zephaniah 3. 12). ai. niiglkty God—(ch. 9. 0) the God who shall have evinced Buch might in destroying Israel's enemies. As the .^.fsyrians in Sennacherib's reign did not carry ofl' Judah captive, the returning "remnant" cannot mainly refer to this time. 'Z'i. yet—rather in the sense in which St. Paul quotes it (llonifvus 0. 27), " Though Israel be now numerous as the sand, a remnant only of them shall return" the great majority shall perish. The reason Is added. Because " the consumption (fully completed destruction) i4 decreed (lit., dcnded nn, brought to an lisne), it overflowetlj (ch. 30. 28 ; 8. 8) with jwilice i. e., the Infllctio'i of Just puulshment fch. 5. 16;. TMaurek.] i33. even determined 442