Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Tlie Destruction of Assyria. ISAIAH XXXI. Folly of Trusting m Egypt their dead, but tlie heathen Assyrians are to be burnt as a mark of ignominy. In the latter sense Tophet is the receptacle " jiropared for the devil (antitype to " the king, was sown In October or November; the latter rain In tbe spring, before the ripening of the cora. Both were needed for a good harvest, increase—the produce, fat—bread made of the best wheat flour (cf. Genesis 49. 20; Deuteronomy 32. 14). 24. ear—i. e., till. Asses were employed in ch. 14.12-15) and his angels," and unbelieving men (Matthew 5. 22 ; 25. 41 ; Mark 9. 43, 44). CHAPTER XXXI. tillage, as well as oxen (Deuteronomy 22. 10). cleanrather, salted provender. [Gesenius.] The Arab proverb
Is, Sweet provender is as bread to camels—salted provender as confectionery. The very cattle shall share the coming felicity. Or else, well-fermented maslin, i. e., provender formed of a mixture of various substances: grain, Ver. 1-9. The Chief Strength of the Egyptian Armies Lay in their Cavalry. In their level and fertile plains horses could easily be used and fed (Exodus
14.9; 1 Kings 10.28). In hilly Palestine horses were not so easily had or available. The Jews were therefore the more eager to get Egyptian chariots as allies against the Assyrian caviilry. In Assyrian sculptures chariots are represented drawn by three horses, and with three men in them (see ch. 36. 9 ; Psalm 20. 7 ; Daniel 9. 13). 3. he also beans, vetches, hay, and salt, winnowed—not as It is usually given to cattle before it is separated from the chaff; tlie grain shall be so abundant that it shall be given winnowed, sliovel—by which the grain was thrown up ih the wind to separate it from the chaff, fan—an instrument for winnowing. 35. Even the otherwise barren hills is wise—as well as the Egyptian priests, so famed for wisdom (Acts 7.22), but who are "fools" before Him (ch. shall then be well watered (ch. 44. 3). the days, &c.—when the disobedient among the Jews shall have been slain, as 19.11). He not only devises, but executes wliat He devises witliout "calling back His words" (Numljers 23.19). house— the whole race, help— the Egyptian succour sought by the Jews. 3. not spirit—not of Divine power (Psalm 56.4; 146.3,5; Zechariah 4.6). he that hclpeth— Egypt, holpen — Judah. 4. (Ch. 42.18; Hosea 11.10.) roaring on growling ox'er his prey, abase liimself—be disheartened or frightened. 5. As in tlie image of "the lion," the point of comparison is the fearless miglit of Jeliovah ; so in tliat of the birds, it is His solicitous affection (Deuteronomy 32.11; Psalm 91.4; Matthew 2:3.37). flying— Rather, which defend their young with their wings ; to fly is a secondary meaning of the Hebrew word. [Maurer.] Hovering over to protect their young. [G. V. Smith.] passing over—as the destroying angel passing foretold in t'. 16: "towers," i.e., mighty men (ch. 2. 15). Or else, the lovers of the Assyrian Sennacherib, or of Babylon, types of all enemies of God's people. 36. Image from the heavenly bodies to express the Increase of spiritual light and felicity. "Sevenfold" implies the pei-/ection of that felicity, seven being the sacred number. It shall also be literally fulfilled hereafter In the heavenly city (ch. CO. 19, 20; kevelation 21. 23, 24 ; 22.5). breacli—the wound, or calamity, sent by God on account of their Bins (ch 1. .5). 37. name of . . . Ijord i.e., Jehovah Himself (Psalm 44.5; 54. 1); represented as a storm approaching an,l ready to burst over the Assyrians (v. 30, 31). bin'tlcn ... is heavy lit., grievousness is the flame,
1. e., the flame wliich darts from Him is grievous. Or else (as tlie Ilvbreiv means an uplifting) the uprising cloud is grievous [G. V. Smith]; the gathering cloud gradually over, so as to spare the blood-marked houses of the Israelites on the first passover (Exodus 12. 13, 23, 27). He passed, or leaped forward [Lowth], to destroy the enemy and to spare His people. 6. Tlie power and love of Jehovah, just mentioned, are the strongest incentives for returning to Him (Ezekiel 16.62,63; Ho.sea 6.1). ye . . . Israel —The change of person marks that when they return to the Lord, He will address them in more direct terms of communion in the second person ; so long as they were ri.«ing till it bursts. 38. (Ch. 11.4; 2 Thessalonians 2.8.) reach . . . nccfe—the most extreme danger; yet as the head, or capital of Judah, was to be spared (ch. 8. 8), so the head, or sovereign of Assyria, Sennacherib, should escape, sieve of vBsiity—Rather, the winnowing fan of destruction [LoWTil] (ch. 41. 16). bridle in . . . jaws—as prisoners are represented in the Assyrian inscriptions (ch. 37.29). causing ... to err — (Ch. 63.17.) "People," Hebrciv, revolters, God speaks of them, as more at a distance, in the third person, rather than to them. 7. In the day of peopl!:s, viz., tlie various races composing the Assyrian armies (cli. 5. 26). 39. the night . . . solemnity—As in trial the idols will be found to render no help, and will therefore be cast away. Cf. as to the future restoration and conversion of Israel simultaneously with the interposition of Jehovali in its defence, Zecliariali 12.9-14; 13. tlie passovor-night ye celebrate your deliverance from Egypt, so shall ye celebrate your rescue from Assyrian bondage. Tran.Hlate, "the solemnity" (Exodus 12.42). goeth with a pipe—or flute. They used to go up to Jerusalem ("tlie mountain of the Lord," Zion) at the three
1,2. for a sin i.e., whereby especially you contracted guilt (1 Kings 12. 30). 8. Assyrian—Sennacherib, representative of some powerful head of the ungodly in the latter ages. [Horsley.] sword, not of . . . mighty . . . mean man—but by the unseen sword of God. flee—Sennacherib alone fled homewards after his army had been destroyed (ch. 37.37). young men— tlie flower of his army, discomfited—Rather, sfiall be subject to slavery; fea.sts with music; and gladness (Deuteronomy 16. 16; Ezra
2. ft'); Psalm 122.1-4). 30. Jehovah's "glorious voice," raised agninst tne enemy {v. 27), is againientioned here, in contrast to the music {v. 29) witli which His people shall come to worsliip Him. lighting down of . . . arm — ( I'. 32;. Psalm 38. 2.) The descent of His arm in striking. scattering~?'iz., a blast that scatters, or an inundation. [.Maurek.] 31. The Assyrian rod which beat shall itself lit., shall be liable to tribute, i. e., personal service (Deuteronomy 20. 11 ; Joshua 9. 21). [Maurer.] Or, not so well, shall melt away. [Rosbnmuller.J 9. Rather, "shall pass beyond his strongholds;" he shall not stop to take refuge In It through fear (Judges 20. 47; Jeremiah 48.28). [Gesenius.] ensign—the banner of Jehovah protecting the Jews. [Maurer.] Are . . . furnace light and fire, viz., of Jehovah's altar at Jerusalem (ch. 29. 1). Perhaps "furnace," as distinguished from "fire," maj' mean that His dwelling-place (His hearth) was at Jerusalem (cf. ch. 4.5); or else tlie flery furnace awaiting all tlie enemies who should attaclt Jerusalem. lie beaten, .and tliat by the mere voice of the Lord, i. e., an unseen Divine agency (ch. 10.5, 24). 33. grounded— Ratlier, decreed, appointed. [Maureb.] staff—the avenging j-oci. him—the Assyrian; type of all God's enemies In every age. Margin and Mauker construe, "Every passing tlirougli (infliction, ch. 28.15) of the appointed rod, which, Ac, sliall be with tabrets," i. e., accompanied witli joy on the part of tlie rescued peoples, battles of shaking—i. c, sliock of battles (cli. 19.16; cf. "sift . . . sieve," v. 28). with iU-viz., Assyria. 33. Tophet— A place of abomination : the valley of the sons of Hinnom, 8outli-ea.st of Jerusalem, where Israel offered human sac-
CHAPTER XXXII. rifices to Moloch by Are ; hence a place of burning (2 Kings 23.10; Jeremiah 7.31). Latterly Ge-hinnom or Gehenna, Ver. 1-20. Messiah's Kingdom; Desolations, to bs SUCCKEHED BY LA-STING PeACE, THE SPIllIT HAVINS BEEN Poured out. The times of purity and happiness which shall follow the defeat of the -lemies of Jehovah's people (t). 1-8). Tlie period of wratli t><!fore tliat happy state (t). 9-14). The assurance of the final prosperity of the Cliurch Is repeated (v. 16-20). 1. king-not Hczeklah, i. e., rnllcy of Hinnom,, was the receptacle of the refuse of the city, to consume which fires were constantly burning. Hence it came to express hell, the place of torment. In tlie former sense it was a fit place to symliolize the funeral pyre of th Assyrian army (not that It actually perished there); one Hebrews did not burn, but burled 4C4