Commentary on Isaiah Part 6 (No. F023vi)

Chapter 22

¹The oracle concerning the valley of vision. What do you mean that you have gone up, all of you, to the housetops, ²you who are full of shoutings, tumultuous city, exultant town? Your slain are not slain with the sword or dead in battle. ³All your rulers have fled together, without the bow they were captured. All of you who were found were captured, though they had fled far away. ⁴Therefore I said: "Look away from me, let me weep bitter tears; do not labor to comfort me for the destruction of the daughter of my people." ⁵For the Lord GOD of hosts has a day of tumult and trampling and confusion in the valley of vision, a battering down of walls and a shouting to the mountains. ⁶And Elam bore the quiver with chariots and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield. ⁷Your choicest valleys were full of chariots, and the horsemen took their stand at the gates. ⁸He has taken away the covering of Judah. In that day you looked to the weapons of the House of the Forest, ⁹and you saw that the breaches of the city of David were many, and you collected the waters of the lower pool, ¹⁰and you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. ¹¹You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or have regard for him who planned it long ago. ¹²In that day the Lord GOD of hosts called to weeping and mourning, to baldness and girding with sackcloth; ¹³and behold, joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine. "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." ¹⁴The LORD of hosts has revealed himself in my ears: "Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you till you die," says the Lord GOD of hosts. ¹⁵Thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, "Come, go to this steward, to Shebna, who is over the household, and say to him: ¹⁶What have you to do here and whom have you here, that you have hewn here a tomb for yourself, you who hew a tomb on the height, and carve a habitation for yourself in the rock? ¹⁷Behold, the LORD will hurl you away violently, O you strong man. He will seize firm hold on you, ¹⁸and whirl you round and round, and throw you like a ball into a wide land; there you shall die, and there shall be your splendid chariots, you shame of your master's house. ¹⁹I will thrust you from your office, and you will be cast down from your station. ²⁰In that day I will call my servant Eli'akim the son of Hilki'ah, ²¹and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your girdle on him, and will commit your authority to his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. ²²And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. ²³And I will fasten him like a peg in a sure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father's house. ²⁴And they will hang on him the whole weight of his father's house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons. ²⁵In that day, says the LORD of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a sure place will give way; and it will be cut down and fall, and the burden that was upon it will be cut off, for the LORD has spoken."

Intent of Chapter 22

Oracle Concerning the Valley of Vision

Destruction Approaching Jerusalem

The invasion of Sargon in 711 BCE (20:1) bypassed Judah and Jerusalem. Nor were they affected by the Civil strife in Assyria following Sargon's death in 705 BCE. This refers to later problems.

22:1-4 Valley of vision – the name is taken from v. 5 and is perhaps a reference to the Valley of Hinnom (comp. Jer. 7:30-34; 32:35).

The texts refer to the sins of Judah that worship the goddess and Tammuz on the housetops (see also F023v).

v. 4 Daughter of my people – Jerusalem.

22:5-8a. Day of the Lord is understood to be when God intervenes to correct and punish Israel and Judah for their unrepented sins. (2:11; 13:6). In the Last Days it is to take control of the world. (No. 192). Elam (21:2) and Kir appear to be mercenaries in the Assyrian armies. Kir (SHD 7024) is an Assyrian district on the Kur River, but it is also a Moabite city (SHD 7024) (15:1; 22:6). See also Kir- Hareseth (SHD 7025) (2Kgs. 3:25; Isa. 16:7) and Kir- Haresh (7025) (16:11).

In that day God will take away the covering of Judah.

22:8b-11 Faith

Military preparedness does not replace faith and faithfulness to God.

House – The royal place (Jer. 22:13-14).

The City of David – The oldest (southeast) section of Jerusalem (2Sam. 5:7).

Collected the waters of the lower pool – May refer to the excavation of Hezekiah's tunnel (2Kgs. 20:20; 2Chr. 32:3-5).

22:12-14 The words of the idolaters and revellers in the festival of the Goddess Easter or Ashtaroth and the festival of the Sun-god (Jer. 10:1-9) will be turned against them (5:11-12) see No 235.

22:15-25 Against Shebna (Jer. 20:1-6).

This text appears to be a specific oracle concerning Hezekiah's servant or “major-domo”

who may well have been an instigator in the anti-Assyrian plot preceding 711 BCE (18:1-7 n.).

Verses 24-25 suggest that Eliakim (36:3) acted, but the administration that he set up failed and was cut off.

Chapter 23

¹The oracle concerning Tyre. Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or haven! From the land of Cyprus it is revealed to them. ²Be still, O inhabitants of the coast, O merchants of Sidon; your messengers passed over the sea ³and were on many waters; your revenue was the grain of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile; you were the merchant of the nations. ⁴Be ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea has spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying: "I have neither travailed nor given birth, I have neither reared young men nor brought up virgins. ⁵When the report comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish over the report about Tyre. ⁶Pass over to Tarshish, wail, O inhabitants of the coast! ⁷Is this your exultant city whose origin is from days of old, whose feet carried her to settle afar? ⁸Who has purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth? ⁹The LORD of hosts has purposed it, to defile the pride of all glory, to dishonor all the honored of the earth. ¹⁰Overflow your land like the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish; there is no restraint any more. ¹¹He has stretched out his hand over the sea, he has shaken the kingdoms; the LORD has given command concerning Canaan to destroy its strongholds. ¹²And he said: "You will no more exult, O oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon; arise, pass over to Cyprus, even there you will have no rest." ¹³Behold the land of the Chalde'ans! This is the people; it was not Assyria. They destined Tyre for wild beasts. They erected their siegetowers, they razed her palaces, they made her a ruin. ¹⁴Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste ¹⁵In that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot: ¹⁶"Take a harp, go about the city, O forgotten harlot! Make sweet melody, sing many songs, that you may be remembered." ¹⁷At the end of seventy years, the LORD will visit Tyre, and she will return to her hire, and will play the harlot with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. ¹⁸Her merchandise and her hire will be dedicated to the LORD; it will not be stored or hoarded, but her merchandise will supply abundant food and fine clothing for those who dwell before the LORD.

Intent of Chapter 23

Oracle Concerning Tyre and Sidon.

The oracle against Sidon (23:1-4, 12-14) is combined with a later one against Tyre (23:5-11, 15-18).

1a Superscription

1b-c Tarshish (Jer. 10:9 n.). There were Phoenician colonies in Cypress who informed them no doubt.

v. 3 Shihor The “waters of Horus” near Zoan

v. 4 The stronghold of the sea is barren having neither sailors (young men) or their women.

23:5-11 Tyre's commercial empire reacts with alarm. The trading empire covered the Mediterranean and beyond to Egypt and to Tarshish. (comp. Ezekiel Ch. 26; 27:1-9, 25-36; Ch. 28)

v. 12 God has given command over the system and over Caanan who was part of it.

23:15-18 As usual modern revisionists attribute later origins to prophetic instances of items that occurred as prophesied. Revisionists relate the texts here to what they class as later revisions and then relate them to what they class as later oracles in Jeremiah 48:47; 49:6,39. (See F024xii) (see OARSV n.)

Seventy years see also Jer. 25:11.

v. 17 Play the harlot – act contrary to the law of God for gain.

v. 18 The wealth of the merchant system typified by Tyre and Sidon as Satan's system will finally be used to supply food and fine clothing for those dwelling before the Lord under the Messiah.

The Wrath of God

Chapters 24-27 constitute what is termed the “Isaiah Apocalypse” The text relates to the eschatological texts in the latter prophets and the Apostles. They concern the establishment of the Kingdom of God, the judgment, the eschatological banquet, the heavenly signs and other key texts. There is no way to escape the Messianic meaning of the prophecies. The entire structure of the prophecies has been Messianic from Chapter 1 to these texts but the modern Revisionists do their best to ignore them.

We commence the sequence with the desolation of the earth on the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord at the return of Messiah and the Loyal Host.

Chapter 24

¹Behold, the LORD will lay waste the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. ²And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor. ³The earth shall be utterly laid waste and utterly despoiled; for the LORD has spoken this word. ⁴The earth mourns and withers, the world languishes and withers; the heavens languish together with the earth. ⁵The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. ⁶Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left. ⁷The wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh. ⁸The mirth of the timbrels is stilled, the noise of the jubilant has ceased, the mirth of the lyre is stilled. ⁹No more do they drink wine with singing; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. ¹⁰The city of chaos is broken down, every house is shut up so that none can enter. ¹¹There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has reached its eventide; the gladness of the earth is banished. ¹²Desolation is left in the city, the gates are battered into ruins. ¹³For thus it shall be in the midst of the earth among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, as at the gleaning when the vintage is done. ¹⁴They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the LORD they shout from the west. ¹⁵Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; in the coastlands of the sea, to the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ¹⁶From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One. But I say, "I pine away, I pine away. Woe is me! For the treacherous deal treacherously, the treacherous deal very treacherously." ¹⁷Terror, and the pit, and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! ¹⁸He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit; and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. ¹⁹The earth is utterly broken, the earth is rent asunder, the earth is violently shaken. ²⁰The earth staggers like a drunken man, it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again. ²¹On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. ²²They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished. ²³Then the moon will be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his elders he will manifest his glory.

Intent of Chapter 24

The Wrath of God in Judgement

24:1-6 (comp. vv. 16b-23) There can be no other interpretation of this text other than the Day of the Wrath of God in the Last Days (No. 192) at the Return of the Messiah and the Host (No. 141E; 141E_2; 210A; 210B; 282E).

24:1-3 God says that He will twist the surface of the earth (by earthquakes) and destroy its structure and reduce all of it so that the priest and the people who follow them contrary to the laws of God will both suffer the same fate as does the family and the society and the businesses (v. 2 is an expansion of Hos. 4:9). The Earth is to be utterly laid waste and utterly despoiled under the command of God. The reasons are clearly laid out in the previous chapters of Isaiah and continue to be explained in the later chapters. They simply will not obey God and keep His Commandments and the Calendar of God (No. 156) as laid out in the Law and the Testimony.

So also we see in Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Daniel. In the Last Days under His Command, the Messiah and the Host will utterly exterminate the antinomians and idolaters who refuse to the keep the Law and the Testimony (Isa. 8:20) and there is no light (or dawn) in them. This is the reason both Sardis and Laodicea are removed from the House of God (Rev. Ch. 3) and will not enter the First Resurrection (No. 143A) or the Millennium without abject repentance. Judah will also be destroyed because of Hillel and the failure to keep the Law and the Testimony (see Jeremiah Summary F024xiv) and Ezekiel (F026 x, xi, xii). All other religious systems will be removed from the face of the earth (Daniel 2:44-45; F027ii. (No. 141F). Those who say the Law of God and the Calendar is done away or fail to keep the Sabbaths and the New Moons will be put to death immediately (Isa. 66:23-24).

This word (vv. 1-3)

24:4-6 The heavens and the earth are damaged by the conduct of the nations and their rejection of the Laws of God.

v. 4 Polluted the earth through violation of the law and in pollution.

v. 5 they have transgressed the law and violated the statutes (Isa. 42:22-25).

The Everlasting Covenant see The Covenant of God (No. 152).

(See also Gen. 9:1-17; comp. Isa. 54:9.) It is the Covenant that was given to the Patriarchs and reinforced through Moses and the Prophets and through Christ and the Apostles. The antinomians would have it otherwise.

24:7-16a Deliverance from the Destruction

24:7-12 Over this text the earth is in disarray and the happiness of the festivals are quieted. Their celebrations are bitter.

v. 10 The City of Chaos refers to the cities of the Last Days which are shuttered and closed due to the mayhem and chaos that controls the streets of the societies of the last days. It does not refer to Ancient Babylon but to the structures of the religious and social system of the last days in the universal destruction of vv. 1-6.

24:13-16a Preparation for the Return.

v. 13 The nations will all be beaten as an Olive Tree as at the gleaning when the vintage is done. The harvest is the First Resurrection and the Holy Seed (6:9-13) that is harvested for the Millennial Rule of the Messiah (F066v). The text refers to the harvest and vindication of Israel for the Millennium. (See Chs. 65-66 comp. 19:24; Ezek. 38:12.)

The righteous one - as Israel under Messiah.

24:16b-23 The Universal Judgment of the Entire Host.

24:16b-18b The structure continues vv.1-6 (see also Chs. 1-6).

17-18b The text appears in Jer. 48:43-44.

24:18c-23 Confinement of the Fallen Host to the Pit.

In this text we see God intervene and deal with both the Fallen Host and the Human Host. (v. 18c); (see also Jer. 19:13; Zeph. 1:5).

24:19-20 The Earth is found wanting and is rent asunder. It sways as from earthquakes and falls to rise no more.

24:21-22 God then intervenes in the heavenly Host (windows of heaven see also Gen. 7:11) and we see that the Host is shut up in a pit as prisoners for “many days.” The text refers to the imprisonment of the demons in the pit (which can only be Tartaros) (see Isa. 14:15; Ezek. Ch. 28 (F026vii); Rev. 20:1-3).

The many days refers to the millennial imprisonment of the Satan and the Fallen Host as we see in Rev. 20:3,7 (F066v). They are then punished at the end of that time which is in the Second Resurrection and the Great White Throne Judgment (see Judgment of the Demons (No. 080)).

24:23 The status of the moon and stars as cult objects is smashed (Jer. 8:2; Deut. 17:3). The text then refers to the Lord of Hosts reigning on Mt Zion and He will manifest His Glory before His Elders (as with Moses Ex. 24:9-11,12-16; comp. Rev. 4:4,10-11). This is after the Second Resurrection (No. 143B) and does not refer to Christ who takes up his rule from the imprisonment of the demons in Tartaros. This simple text refers to the Coming of God to the Earth. This text refers to the City of God (No. 180) coming to the Earth (see (F066v).

Chapter 25

¹O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. ²For thou hast made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the palace of aliens is a city no more, it will never be rebuilt. ³Therefore strong peoples will glorify thee; cities of ruthless nations will fear thee. ⁴For thou hast been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the blast of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall, ⁵like heat in a dry place. Thou dost subdue the noise of the aliens; as heat by the shade of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is stilled. ⁶On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined. ⁷And he will destroy on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. ⁸He will swallow up death for ever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. ⁹It will be said on that day, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation." ¹⁰For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain, and Moab shall be trodden down in his place, as straw is trodden down in a dung-pit. ¹¹And he will spread out his hands in the midst of it as a swimmer spreads his hands out to swim; but the LORD will lay low his pride together with the skill of his hands. ¹²And the high fortifications of his walls he will bring down, lay low, and cast to the ground, even to the dust.

Intent of Chapter 25

25:1-5 Psalm of Thanksgiving (see Psalm 145). What follows is then the exaltation of God and His Plan (see Nos. 001A; 001B; 001C).

God has made cities heaps (a single city is uncertain) and fortified city/cities ruins. The reference to Moab in v. 10 may be symbolic of the region surrounding Israel). Palaces of aliens will not be rebuilt. The nations will be reorganised under the Laws of God from the Advent of Messiah and as part of the extended Kingdom of God (Zech. 14:16-21). Poor The helpless of Israel as opposed to the strong peoples now being brought low to glorify God.

25:6-10a The text goes on to the Feast prepared for the peoples as we saw in Zechariah above. The text is regarded as the Third Eschatological Section

v. 6 This mountain – Zion. The Feast of Tabernacles (see also 1Sam. 9:13; these lesser feast sites became corrupted; but this text refers to Zion under Messiah at the Millennium - see also Lk. 14:15-24).

v. 7-8 The text refers to the veil of ignorance that was spread over the nations under Satan’s deception with the false religions of the Sun and Mystery Cults. The swallowing up of death forever points to the two Resurrections of the Dead at the Beginning and End of the Millennium (see 143A and 143B). The Messiah will bring the First Resurrection and then the whole world will be resurrected at the end of the Millennium and retrained so that all mankind can become Elohim (No. 001).

25:10b-12 Shows the subjugation of all nations and their idolatrous past. Moab is here symbolic as it appears unexpectedly (see also OARSV n.).

Bullinger’s Notes on Chs. 22-25 (for KJV)

Chapter 22

Verse 1

burden = oracle.

valley of vision. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it Jerusalem, in relation to the high hills around. Similar names: "inhabitant of the valley, ""rock of the plain" (Jeremiah 21:13 ), "mountain in the fields" (Jeremiah 17:3 ). The reference is to Isaiah 22:5 .

vision. Here the most solemn visions had been seen: Abraham (Genesis 22:2 , Genesis 22:14 , compare the name Jehovah-jireh); also David (1 Chronicles 21:16 , 1 Chronicles 21:28 ). and the many visions of Isaiah (Isaiah 1:1 ; Isaiah 6:1-4 , &c). The Septuagint reads "Zion".

gone up, &c. Denoting a time of popular rejoicing. Refers to past time. Compare Matthew 24:16 . Luke 21:21 .

Verse 2

stirs = outcries. Referring to the time of this prophecy.

Verse 3

from far = afar, or far away.

Verse 6

Elam. Kir. The south and north limits of the Chaldsean forces.

quiver. Hebrew. 'ashpah. Occurs only here in "former" portion, and only in Isaiah 49:2 in the "latter" portion.

chariots. See note on Isaiah 21:7 .

and. Some codices, with three early printed editions and Vulgate, read this "and "in the text.

Verse 7

at = toward.

Verse 8

discovered = dismantled.

covering = veil.

Verse 9

have seen = beheld.

the lower pool. The pool of Siloam. Compare Isa 7:3 ; 2 Chronicles 32:30 . The old pool. See notes on 2 Chronicles 32:3 , 2 Chronicles 32:30 , and App-68 .

Verse 11

ditch = a gathering of waters.

Verse 13

let us, &c. Note Figure of speech Ellipsis ( App-6 ). Supply thus: "[saying, ] 'Let us eat', "&c. Compare 1 Corinthians 15:32 .

Verse 14

the LORD of hosts. See note on Isaiah 1:9 .

iniquity shall not be purged. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 30:10 . Leviticus 4:20 , &c). Compare Isaiah 6:7 ; Isaiah 27:9 ; and App-92 .

Verse 15

Shebna. See 2 Kings 18:18 , 2 Kings 18:26 . Probably a foreigner, or heathenized Jew.

and say. Some codices, with Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and thou shalt say unto him".

Verse 16

as he. rock = (as. rock). Figure of speech Parenthesis.

Verse 17

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, &c. = will hurl thee with the hurling of [a mighty] man.

Verse 18

surely violently turn and toss thee. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia . Hebrew. zanoph, yiznaphka, zenephah.

Verse 19

drive = thrust.

station = office, or administration.

Verse 20

in that day: i.e. in the day when this prophecy will be fulfilled. Compare Isaiah 22:25 .

Eliakim = Whom God sets up. Hezekiah's minister. Probably superseded by Shebna in the evil days of Manasseh. See Isaiah 36:3 , Isaiah 36:22 ; Isaiah 37:2 .

Verse 21

girdle. Reference to Pentateuch. Occurs here; and elsewhere only in Exodus 28:4 , Exodus 28:39 , Exodus 28:40 ; Exodus 29:9 ; Exodus 39:29 . Leviticus 8:7 , Leviticus 8:13 ; Leviticus 16:4 . App-92 . A priestly vestment.

government = administration.

Verse 22

so = and.

open and. shut. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for power of administration. Compare Revelation 3:7 , which shows that the fulfilment culminates in Messiah.

Verse 24

the offspring and the issue: i.e. direct and collateral issue, and embraces his entire kindred.

the offspring. Hebrew. hazze'eza'im. Occurs only in Job and Isaiah (Job 5:25 ; Job 21:8 ; Job 27:14 ; Job 31:8 , and Isaiah 34:1 ; Isaiah 42:5 ; Isaiah 44:3 ; Isaiah 48:19 ; Isaiah 61:9 ; Isaiah 65:23 ). See App-79 .

vessels. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), App-6 , for the kindred mentioned above.

Verse 25

In that day. Refers back to the day of Isaiah 22:20 , i.e. the day of Shebna's overthrow. This would be the day of Eliakim's exaltation.

the nail: which Shebna thought himself to be, but which Jehovah declared Eliakim to be.

removed. cut down. fall. cut off. Referring to verses: Isaiah 22:17-19 . Figure of speech Synonymia , emphasizing the completeness of Shebna's downfall. The interpretation belongs to the two men, but the application refers (1) to the two parties in Jerusalem, and (2) to the Messiah, in Whom the prophecy will be exhausted.

Chapter 23

Verse 1

burden = oracle.

Tyre. It had rejoiced in the misfortunes of Judah (Amos 1:9 ); so it is punished by the same king of Babylon (Isaiah 23:13 ). Ezekiel 26:2-21 .

Ships of Tarshish. See note on Isaiah 2:16 and 1 Kings 10:22 .

ships. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for the people in them.

house. In this case "port".

Chittim. Originally used of Cyprus, but extended to the islands and coast-lands of the Mediterranean.

it: i.e. the fall of Tyre.

Verse 2

isle. Here, Tyre itself.

thou whom = which.

pass over = cross, in trading. In verses: Isaiah 23:2 , Isaiah 23:3 , Isaiah 23:6 , Isaiah 23:10 , Isaiah 23:12 , imperative, implying flight.

Verse 3

seed: or, grain.

Sihor = the black river, the Nile (compare Jeremiah 2:18 ).

harvest. Egypt was the field, the Phoenician coast its granary.

river. Reference to Pentateuch. See note on Isaiah 7:18 . "River" is here put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for the country (Egypt) through which it passes.

she is a mart of nations: or, it became merchandise for the nations.

mart = gain resulting from merchandise, as in Isaiah 23:18 (Isaiah 45:14 .Proverbs 3:14 ; Proverbs 31:18 ).

Verse 4

Zidon. Was a seaport. the mother city of Phoenicia, the granary of Egypt's harvests. The Zidonians had built Tyre on a rocky island, and connected it with the mainland.

I travail not = I have not travailed. The verbs which follow in Isaiah 23:4 are in the past tense. The sea speaks to the mother Zidon: thou seekest Tyre thou findest only the sea.

children = sons.

Verse 5

As at the report concerning &c. : or, When the report comes to Egypt they are forthwith in terror at the report concerning Tyre.

Verse 7

antiquity = origin.

feet. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for the vessels in which the Tyrians fled from Nebuchadnezzar.

Verse 8

crowning = crown-giver: i.e. conferring crowns on other Phoenician cities.

Verse 9

The Lord of hosts. See note on Isaiah 1:9 .

stain = pollute.

Verse 11

the Lord. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

the merchant city = Tyre, or Phoenician coast. Hosea 12:7 .

thereof: or, which are upon it.

Verse 12

oppressed = humbled.

Verse 13

this people was not = a people that were no people (i.e. Assyria). Tyre boasted antiquity (Isaiah 23:7 ), Assyria was their object-lesson and warning.

and: or, but.

He. God.

Verse 15

seventy years. See Jeremiah 25:9-11 ; Jeremiah 27:2-7 . From the first year of Nebuchadnezzar (496 B.C.) to the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus (426 B.C.)

one. Hebrew. ehad , a compound unity, hence "one" of a dynasty, here, the Babylonian dynasty. Not yahid , a single one. See note on Deuteronomy 6:4 .

Verse 16

Take an harp, &c. Figure of speech Apostrophe . Not a quotation.

Verse 17

world = the earth. Hebrew. ha- arez .

upon = which are upon.

earth = ground, or, soil. Hebrew. ha- adamah .

Verse 18

holiness = hallowed.

sufficiently = abundantly.

Chapter 24

Verse 1

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos .

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

earth. Hebrew ha- 'arez . Occurs sixteen times in this chapter. Rendered "land" in verses: Isaiah 24:3 , Isaiah 24:11 , Isaiah 24:13

empty . Note the Figure of speech Synonymia , "empty", "waste", "upside down", "scattered abroad". See App-6 .

Verse 2

as . . . so. Figure of speech Simile .

the lender . . . the borrower. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 22:25 , Exodus 22:27 . Deuteronomy 15:2 ; Deuteronomy 24:10 , Deuteronomy 24:11 ). See App-92 .

Verse 3

The land: Hebrew. ha-'drez , as in Isaiah 24:1 .

utterly emptied. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia , for emphasis. Hebrew. hibb6k tibbdk .

utterly spoiled. Hebrew. hibb6z tibboz .

Verse 4

mourneth. See note on Isaiah 3:26 .

mourneth and fadeth away. languish. Hebrew. umlelah nablah tebel umlalu .

the earth, &c. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia . This is one of the three places where (in the Hebrew) one verse ends with "the earth" and the next verse begins with "the earth", being the Figure of speech Anadiplosis . The other two passages are Genesis 1:1 , Genesis 1:2 , and Hosea 2:23 , Hos 2:24 .

Verse 5

The earth. See last note on p. 959.

transgressed. Hebrew. 'abar . App-44 .

the laws. the everlasting covenant. Reference to Pentateuch. See note on Genesis 9:16 ; and App-92 , The Pentateuch was as well known to Isaiah as to the kings in whose reigns he prophesied.

Verse 6

Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth. Some codices, with four early printed editions (one in margin), and Syriac, read "Because of a curse the earth mourneth".

earth. Hebrew. 'erez .

desolate = laid waste. Hebrew. 'asham. Compare verses: Isaiah 24:10 , Isaiah 24:12 , Isaiah 24:23 .

Verse 7

new wine = must. Hebrew. tirosh . App-27 .

Verse 8

tabrets = drums. See note on drums, 1 Samuel 10:5 .

Verse 9

wine. Hebrew. yayin . App-27 .

strong drink. Hebrew. shekar App-27 .

Verse 10

confusion = desolation. Hebrew. tohu . Same word as "without form". Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 1:2 ). Occurs in "former" portion three times (here; Isaiah 29:1 , "thing of naught; "Isaiah 34:11 ); and in the "latter" portion eight times (Isaiah 40:17 , Isaiah 40:23 ; Isaiah 41:29 ; Isaiah 44:9 , "vanity; "Isaiah 45:18 , Isaiah 45:19 , "in vain; "Isaiah 49:4 , "naught; "Isaiah 59:4 , "vanity").

no man = no one.

Verse 12

desolation = astonishment. Hebrew. shamen . Compare Isaiah 24:6 , Isaiah 24:10 , Isaiah 24:23 .

Verse 14

sea. Note the Figure of speech Ellipsis = sea [saying]. See note on Psalms 109:5 .

Verse 15

fires: Or, valleys.

isles = maritime countries. See note on Isaiah 11:1 .

Verse 16

the righteous = the righteous One (singular): i.e. the One referred to in Isaiah 24:15 ; or, the nation, as in Isaiah 26:2 . compare Acts 3:14 ; Acts 7:52 ; Acts 22:14 .

I said = I had said: i. e the land. Figure of speech Prosopopaeia .

My leanness, my leanness. Figure of speech Epizeuxis , for emphasis.

treacherous dealers, &c. = traitors have betrayed.

Verse 17

Fear, and the pit, and the snare. Figure of speech Synonymia , and Figure of speech Paonomasia , not a "play on words", but for great and solemn emphasis. Hebrew. paphad , vapahath, happa vappaph (tr. Eng., scare, lair, snare).

erse 18

fear. pit. snare. Figure of speech Paronomasia

again. Hebrew. happahad. huppahath. happahath bapah . See Luke 21:35 , and compare Jeremiah 48:43 , Jeremiah 48:44 .

the windows from on high, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 7:11 ).

are open = have opened.

foundations of the earth. See Isaiah 58:12 . Compare Isaiah 40:21 .

Verse 19

utterly broken down. Note Figure of speech Polyptoton . Hebrew breaking, breaks up. Same Figure of speech below.

clean dissolved. Hebrew bursting, bursts up.

moved exceedingly. Hebrew tottering, tottereth.

Verse 20

reel to and fro. Hebrew staggering, staggereth.

removed. Hebrew rocketh to and fro.

transgression = revolt. Hebrew. pasha . App-44 . Not the same word as in Isaiah 24:5 .

Verse 21

that are. Omit.

earth = the ground, or, Soil. Hebrew. ha-adamah . Compare Isaiah 6:12 .

Verse 22

pit. Not the same word as in verses: Isaiah 24:17 , Isaiah 24:18 . Here, Hebrew. bor , a dug-out pit, or dungeon. Occurs in Isaiah 14:15 , Isaiah 14:19 ; Isaiah 36:13 ; Isaiah 38:18 ; and in "latter" portion, Isaiah 51:1 . App-79 .

and = even.

visited: i.e. with the judgments foretold in the preceding Verses. Compare Isaiah 10:3 ; Isaiah 26:14 , Isaiah 26:16 ; Isaiah 29:6 .

Verse 23

confounded = blush (from shame).

ashamed = turn pale (from fear).

the LORD of hosts. See note on Isaiah 1:9 .

ancients = elders. Compare Revelation 4:4 .

gloriously = in glory, or "[shall be] a glory".

Chapter 25

Verse 1

I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name. In Hebrew three words, two making the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ); not for a "play on words", but for solemn emphasis, to attract our attention. Hebrew. 'aromimka , 'odeh shimka . Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 15:2 ). App-92 .

wonderful things = a wonderful deed.

Verse 2

strangers = foreigners. See note on Isaiah 5:17 .

Verse 4

strength = stronghold.

poor. Hebrew. dal = impoverished, reduced. See note on "poverty" Proverbs 6:11 .

when the blast of the terrible ones is = for the blast of the terrible ones [is], &c.

blast. Hebrew. ruach ( App-9 ), as in Isaiah 37:7 . Exodus 15:8 . 2 Kings 19:7 . branch = triumphal song.

brought low = become low.

Verse 6

the LORD of hosts. See note on 1 Samuel 1:3 .

people = the peoples.

a feast. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia in this verse: a feast (Hebrew. mishteh) of fat things (Hebrew. shemanim) , a feast of (Hebrew. mishteh) wines on the lees (Hebrew. shemarim) ; of fat things (Hebrew. shemanim)

full of marrow (Hebrew. memuhyim) , of wines on the lees (Hebrew. shemarim) . All these words are thus heaped together to impress us with the greatness of this feast.

wines on the lees. Hebrew. shemarim ( App-27 ), see above = wines purified from the lees.

Verse 7

destroy = swallow up, as in Isaiah 25:8 .

this mountain: i.e. Zion (Isaiah 2:1 , Isaiah 2:2 ; Isaiah 24:23 ).

cast = covered.

people = the peoples.

Verse 8

swallow up. Same word as "destroy" (Isaiah 25:7 ), so as to cause a thing to disappear and be no more. Compare Numbers 16:30 . Psalms 69:15 ; Psalms 106:17 . Jonah 1:17 .

in victory. Hebrew. nezah = for ever. Occurs in Isaiah 13:20 ; Isaiah 28:28 ; Isaiah 33:20 ; Isaiah 34:10 ; and in the "latter portion", Isaiah 57:16 ; rendered "victory" in 1 Chronicles 29:11 . 1 Samuel 15:29 . Quoted in 1 Corinthians 15:54: where we have the Holy Spirit's comment on the word, giving the additional thought of "victory". See App-79 .

rebuke = reproach.

Verse 9

we have waited. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 49:18 .)

Verse 10

Moab. as straw. for the dunghill. Note the Figure of speech Homoeopropheron ( App-6 ). Moab. mathben , beMo Madmenah . which occurs only here, is used to complete the Figure of speech Homoeopropheron . See above.

trodden down = beaten to pieces by treading.

for the dunghill = in Madmenah, as in Isaiah 10:31 and Jeremiah 48:2 , Revised Version quite wrong, "in the water of the dunghill". Dung is never watered in the East, but dried, and used as fuel (Ezekiel 4:15 ), and is found only in the streets of towns and villages. In Psalms 83:10 "earth" is adamah = ground. See note there.

Verse 11

spread forth His hands. In the East all swimmers swim "hand over hand", and beat the water with loud noise. Parallel with the beating of straw in Isaiah 25:10 . Compare Isaiah 63:0 .

as=according as.

spoils = devices, or artifices.

Verse 12

bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground. Note the Figure of speech Synonymia , to emphasize the certainty and reality of what had been expressed by the Figure of speech Simile in verses: Isaiah 25:10 , Isaiah 25:11 .

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