Isaiah 10:24

O my people that dwellest in Zion Cf. ch. Isaiah 14:32; Isaiah 30:19. Dwelling in Zion is the emblem of security, since it is there that Jehovah will beat back and destroy the Assyrian (Isaiah 10:32).

he shall smite thee … and shall lift up These are relative clauses attached to "the Assyrian." Render: who smites thee … and lifts up his staff, &c. (cf. Isaiah 9:4).

after the manner of Egypt As the Egyptians did in the time of the Oppression, Exodus 5 (cf. for the expressions Amos 4:10).

Isaiah 10:25. For yet a very little while Cf. ch. Isaiah 29:17, (Isaiah 16:14).

and mine anger in their destruction A more grammatical rendering would be: and mine anger ( is directed) to their (the Assyrians") annihilation. The two clauses of the verse appear to be antithetical; indignation (against Israel) comes to an end, wrath (against Assyria) culminates in its utter destruction.

Isaiah 10:26. For stir up for himrender brandish over him, a sense authenticated by 2 Samuel 23:18.

according to the slaughter … Oreb Transl. like the smiting of Midian at the rock Oreb. For the incident referred to, see Judges 7:25 (cf. Psalms 83:9; Psalms 83:11; Isaiah 9:4).

and as his rod … Egypt To be paraphrased thus: "and his rod (which was stretched out) over the (Red) Sea (at the Exodus from Egypt), he shall lift up as it was lifted up to destroy the Egyptians." The last phrase is used in effective antithesis to the use in Isaiah 10:24.

Isaiah 10:27. The figures of the burden and the yoke are combined exactly as in ch. Isaiah 14:25.

and the yoke … anointing A very difficult sentence. The closest rendering is that of the margin of R.V.: and the yoke shall be destroyed by reason of fatness. This has usually been interpreted to mean that the animal (Judah) will "wax fat and kick" (Deuteronomy 32:15) and break its yoke; or that its increasing fatness will burst the yoke on its neck (a very odd comparison!). Neither of these senses is at all tolerable; according to Isaiah's teaching the prosperity of the nation only commences after Jehovah has destroyed the Assyrian yoke. Dillmann's interpretation Judah will become so vigorous after its emancipation that no one will ever think of putting it under the yoke again is equally unsatisfying. The text is almost certainly corrupt, and of the various emendations that have been proposed the most plausible are those which find in the clause a mutilated introduction to Isaiah 10:28. Prof. Robertson Smith has suggested instead of the last four words: יחרל ׃עלה מצפון שרד. The twenty-seventh verse would end with the first word ("the yoke shall ceasefrom off thy neck"), and the next would begin thus: "A destroyer comes up from the north; he comes to Aiath, &c." The alterations are considerable, but undoubtedly we thus obtain a suitable commencement to the sketch of the Assyrian advance. Duhm follows on the same lines, but reads, "he comes up from Pene-Rimmon" (i.e. the Rock Rimmon, a few miles north of Aiath, Judges 20:45). This however plunges us in medias resas abruptly as before.

Isaiah 10:28. A free delineation (mostly in prophetic perfects) of the march of an Assyrian army towards Jerusalem. The verses are not to be taken as a prediction that the enemy will actually come by this route, still less of course are they an oraculum post eventum. They simply present a graphic picture of the unresting energy and eagerness of an Assyrian army, and the ease with which it might invade Judah from the north now that Samaria has fallen. And this is done in order to introduce the assurance that when the invader does come, and the prize is just within his grasp, Jehovah will smite him down (Isaiah 10:33 ff.). A passage of very similar character is Micah 1:10-16.

The strategic point in the itinerary here sketched is the Pass of Michmash, the scene of Jonathan's famous exploit against the Philistines (1 Samuel 14), and at this time probably marking the northern frontier of the kingdom of Judah. It is situated in the modern Wadi Suweinît, and is guarded by the villages of Michmash on the north and Geba on the south. The road from Michmash crosses the valley in a south-westerly direction, and about midway between Michmash and Geba (the whole distance is about two miles) traverses an extremely narrow defile, where a large army might easily be checked by a handful of resolute defenders, In Isaiah 10:28 f. Isaiah alludes to the precautions that would naturally be taken to secure a safe passage of this difficult ravine.

Isaiah 10:28 . He comes upon Aiath] -Ayyath(cf. 1 Chronicles 7:28 [R.V. marg.]; Nehemiah 11:31) is no doubt the ancient -Ai, and was probably two miles N.W. from Michmash.

Migron The only known place of this name lay on the south side of the pass (1 Samuel 14:2). Prof. Robertson Smith thinks the operation indicated is the seizing of this post on the southern side by a coup de mainbefore attempting to lead the main army through the defile. Most other commentators, however, hold that some place, not to be certainly identified, between Ai and Michmash is intended.

laid up his carriages R.V. layeth up his baggage, deposits his impedimenta. "Carriages" in old English means of course not that in which one is carried, but that which one carries (cf. Acts 21:15).

Isaiah 10:29 . They go through the pass; they make Geba their encampment for the night. The latter clause might also be translated as the eager cry of the Assyrians: "Geba is our night quarters." From this point the road to Jerusalem lies open; hence the remaining verses simply describe the terror spread amongst the villages along the route of the Assyrians. Ramah(Er-Râm) is less than two miles due west of Geba, Gibeah of Saulis probably Tulêl el-Fûl, about halfway between that place and Jerusalem.