Isaiah 31

Chap. XXXI. Ver. 1—9. The Jews are again reproved for their confidence in Egypt.—This chapter is very similar to the preceding. Their folly is strongly exhibited in a contrast between the weakness of creatures and the power of the Creator: What is flesh to spirit? what is man compared with God? Two fine comparisons are here introduced. The former, verse 4. represents the weakness of Egypt as a protecting power, no more able to secure Israel against their offended God, than a company of unarmed shepherds to oppose the mighty lion. The other, verse 5. exhibits the divine protection of his people, in allusion to the mounting eagle guarding her own nest. “As the mother-birds hovering over their young; so shall Jehovah God of hosts protect Jerusalem: protecting Compare (Deuteronomy 32:11).—The Jews are then exhorted to repentance, and to the rejection of their idols. The chapter concludes like the last, with again predicting the fall of Sennacherib. It was proper to ween much on this important event, which, in human appearance, was very unlikely, the Assyrian being at that time the greatest empire in all the sake. But what is all the world before the power of Jehovah?

Notes on the verses

Ver. 25. When the towers.—Lowth, “The mighty” fall; i. e. in the day when God shall destroy his enemies, and the enemies of his people. Ver. 27, The name of the Lord.—The report of his great judgments, his mighty fame.—And the burden thereof is heavy.—Lowth, “His wrath burneth, and the flame rageth.” So Boothroyd. Ver. 28. His breath.—Lowth, “Spirit.”——The sieve of vanity.—[Bishop Lowth renders, “to toss the nations with the van of perdition;” that is, says Kimchi, nothing useful shall remain behind, but all shall come to nothing and perish. The van of the ancients was a large instrument, somewhat like a shovel, with a long handle, with which they tossed the corn mixed with the chaff and chopped straw into the air, that the wind might separate them.]

—Bagster. See (Matthew 3:12)—There shall be a bridle.—That is, they shall be infatuated with a sense of their own security, which shall lead them blindfold to ruin. & Mid pe: A song as in the night.—That is, in the eve preceding every great Ver. 30. And shall show the lighting down of his arm.—So the Lord is said to “make bare his arm.” See (Isaiah 52:10), Ver. 31. Which smote with a rod.—We think, with Gataker, this refers to the Lord’s smiting the Assyrian “as with a rod,” supplying as instead of which. Compare (Psalms 2:9). Ver. 32. And in every place, &c.—See margin. On the authority of two or three MSS. only, Lowth reads, “the rod of correction,” but we think improperly, since it was the rod of destruction, as appears by the context.

We would propose to read, “And in every place where the passing staff is grounded, it shall be,” &c. We consider it an allusion to a criminal being scourged to the place of execution, and at every pause of the scourging rod, Israel shall exult in songs.—And with battles of shaking, &c.—Lowth, “And with fierce battles shall he fight against them.” Ver. 33, Tophet is ordained of old.—[Tophet was a part of the valley of Hinnom, south-east of Jerusalem, where the Canaanites, and afterwards the Israelites, sacrificed their children to Moloch, with the sound of drums. So was Assyria to be consumed amid the noise of triumph. And it is here used by metonymy for the place where the Assyrian army was destroyed, which appears to have really stood on the opposite side of Jerusalem, near Nob.]

(Isaiah 10:32).]—Bagster. 3