Isaiah 30

Isa. 30:27, to the end, and 31:9. Mr. Bedford supposes (Scripture Chronology, p. 671.) that what is here said respects the time when Rabshakeh came against Jerusalem, and God did so wonderfully appear for the defense of the city, and miraculously slew such a multitude of their enemies in one night. Chap. Isaiah 30:28. It is said that his breath as an overflowing stream should reach to the midst of the neck, i.e. should reduce them to the utmost extremity. This is very agreeable to the manner in which Dr. Prideaux very probably supposes that Rabshakeh's army was destroyed, viz. by God's bringing on them a hot pestilential wind; vide Connect. p. 34, 35.; and where it is said here that there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err, this is agreeable to what is said concerning Rabshakeh and his army, Isaiah 37:29. It is here said, verse 29, that they should have a song, as in the night, when an holy assembly is kept, and gladness of heart; as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the Lord, to the Mighty One of Israel: and God wrought this great deliverance by slaying Sennacherib's army in the night, as before he had done in Egypt, by slaying the first-born in the night, and thereby gave occasion to keep the night of the passover with joy, in a joyful manner, and with songs of praise, which probably was the holy solemnity that the prophet had a special respect to, as Bedford supposes what is said in the 30th verse, together with the 32d, of battles, of shaking, renders it probable that there was an earthquake accompanying that judgment, and also thunder, and lightning, and hail, as was common when God miraculously fought against the enemies of his people, as it was when he fought against Pharaoh and the Egyptians at the Red sea. Psalms 77, at the latter end. "So God fought against the Amorites in Joshua's time, not only with hail, but thunder and lightning." Habakkuk 3:11. So God seems to have fought against Sisera and his host. (See Notes on Judges 5:20.) So God fought against the Philistines in Samuel's time. So God seems to have fought sometimes for David, against his enemies, and particularly at Baal-Perazim. Vide Note on Psalms 18:7, etc. So Hannah prophesied that God would appear against the enemies of his people. 1 Samuel 2:10. Thunder, lightning, hail, and rain, is God's artillery, that he was wont to make use of when he appeared in battle. Job 38:22; Job 38:23. "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow; or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?" It is probable that the greater part of them might be slain by such a sudden and extraordinary pestilence while asleep; and God might pursue the rest that awoke and escaped the pestilence with a tempest of thunder, lightning, and hail, until the greater part of them were destroyed. And what is said, Isaiah 30:32, seems to be much better translated in the margin, viz. "In every passing of the rod founded which the Lord shall cause to rest upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps;" this translation is word for word, as it is in the original, meaning the rod of God's anger on the Assyrian. In the foregoing verse with this, it is foretold that the Assyrian, that beat down others with his rod, should be beaten down in his turn with God's rod; and thus to speak of the wrath of God's anger is agreeable to the phraseology of Scripture: particularly, to call a judgment that God had appointed, a rod that God had founded or established, and to express his subjecting them to the judgment, by God's causing the rod to rest upon them, and to call the smiting with the rod at each stripe, the passings of the rod. We read of these passings of the rod, Isaiah 28:18; Isaiah 28:19. And when it is said it shall be with tabrets and harps, the meaning is, that when God's people shall behold the punishment which he shall bring upon them, it shall cause joy and songs in them, agreeable to Isaiah 30:29. They shall, as it were, lift up the voice of music and joy, at every time, as they hear the voice or sound of God's avenging rod on their enemies, which is agreeable to what is said with respect to this very judgment on Rabshakeh's army, chap. Isaiah 37:22. And what is said, Isaiah 30:33, seems well to agree with the place where this great destruction was, viz. Tophet, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, which was near Jerusalem, on the south side, whither Rabshakeh came from Lachish, Libnah, and Cush, and where he encamped before he could form the siege of the place, as Bedford observes.

The time when they were thus threatened by Sennacherib and Rabshakeh, was a time when they relied on Egypt for help, as appears by the words of Rabshakeh, chap. Isaiah 36:6-9. which agrees with the beginning of 31st chap; and what is said in the 4th, 5th, and 8th verses of that chapter, exceedingly agrees with the way in which God did by himself, immediately, without making use of the sword of man, defend and fight for Jerusalem, and what is said in the 9th verse, of the Assyrian's passing over to his strong hold for fear, agrees with what is said, Isaiah 37:7; Isaiah 37:29; Isaiah 37:34; Isaiah 37:37.

Isa. 31:9