_The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from [being] a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap._ Ver. 1. _The burden of Damascus._] See Isaiah 13:1 . _ Of Damascus._] That is, of the kingdom of Syria, the head city whereof was Damascus; and it was destroyed by Shalmaneser five or six... [ Continue Reading ]
The cities of Aroer [are] forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make [them] afraid. Ver. 2. _The cities of Aroer are forsaken,_] _i.e., _ The country beyond Jordan Deu 2:36 is desolated and depopulated - the Gadites and the Reubenites being also, together with the... [ Continue Reading ]
The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts. Ver. 3. _The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim._] Heb., Shall sabbatise, or rest. Ephraim, or the ten tribes, had... [ Continue Reading ]
And in that day it shall come to pass, [that] the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. Ver. 4. _The glory of Jacob shall be made thin._] Their multitudes wherein they gloried shall be greatly impaired. _ And the fatness._] He shall be cast into a deadly c... [ Continue Reading ]
And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim. Ver. 5. _And it shall be as when the harvest man._] Their utter captivity is set forth by three lively similitudes, for better assurance,... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two [or] three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four [or] five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. Ver. 6. _Yet gleaning grapes, &c._] See on Isaiah 17:5 .... [ Continue Reading ]
At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. Ver. 7. _At that day shall a man look to his Maker._] The elect among the Israelites shall do so, having been whipped home as before. There is an elegance in the original, as there are many in this... [ Continue Reading ]
And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect [that] which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images. Ver. 8. _And he shall not look to the altars._] As, having looked before to his Maker with a single eye, with an eye of adamant, that will turn onl... [ Continue Reading ]
In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation. Ver. 9. _Which they left for the children of Israel._] Which the enemy left, by a sweet providence of God; the like whereto see on Z... [ Continue Reading ]
Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: Ver. 10. _Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation._] Thou hast disloyally departed from him, as... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: [but] the harvest [shall be] a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow._ Ver. 11. _In the day thou shalt make thy plant to grow._] So Proverbs 22:8, he that soweth iniquity shall reap va... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe to the multitude of many people, [which] make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, [that] make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! Ver. 12. _Woe to the multitude of many people._] Met to make up Sennacherib's army. Or, Oh the multitude, &c. The prophet won... [ Continue Reading ]
_The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but [God] shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind._ Ver. 13. _The nations shall rush._] Or, Rustle. The Assyrians did so... [ Continue Reading ]
And behold at eveningtide trouble; [and] before the morning he [is] not. This [is] the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us. Ver. 14. _And behold at eventide trouble._] Or, Terror - _sc., _ within Jerusalem, besieged by Sennacherib's forces. But this mourning lasted but ti... [ Continue Reading ]