Isaiah 13:2

Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

Ver. 2. Lift up a banner.] Deus hic quasi classicum canit; God, as chief general, gives forth his orders to the Medes and Persians. He is a "man of war," Exo 15:3 yea, the Lord victor of war, as the Chaldee there paraphraseth. See the like Jeremiah 50:2 .

Upon the high mountain.] Where it may best be seen. Media is a mountainous country. Or, contra montem caliglnosum, against the dark mountain - i.e., Babylon, which, though situated in a plain, yet was tumoured up with her wealth and power, and seemed unmoveable. Famous this city was for a hortus pensilis, an artificial garden (made by Nebuchadnezzar for the pleasure of his wife Nicotris), which, hanging over the city, darkeneth it, a like as that continual cloud doth the island of St Thomas, on the back side of Africa.

Exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand.] Propinquos voce, longinquos significatione ad arma convocate; b give the alarm to those that are near hand and further off.

That they may go into the gates of the nobles.] Or, Of the munificent or bounteous lords; for such all nobles are, or ought to be. Our English word lord, contracted of the Saxon word laford, cometh of luef, to sustain or succour others.

a Strabo, lib. xvi.; Curtius, lib. v.; Josephus, lib. x.

b Junius.