Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn against Judah. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.

“Manasseh, Ephraim--the two sons of Joseph. So closely united as to form between them but one tribe; but now about to be rent into factions, thirsting for each other's blood. Disunited in all things else, but united "together against their brother Judah" (2Ki 15:10, 30).”

Nothing will remain but to crouch among the captives or fall among the slain. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.

“Isa 10:9, 11 show that Samaria was destroyed before this prophecy. It was written when Assyria proposed (a design which it soon after tried to carry out under Sennacherib) to destroy Judah and Jerusalem, as it had destroyed Samaria.”

“Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus?

“Is not . . . as--Was there any one of these cities able to withstand me? So Rab-shakeh vaunts (Isa 36:19). Calno--Calneh, built by Nimrod (Ge 10:10), once his capital, on the Tigris.”

Does an axe raise itself above the one who swings it? Does a saw boast over him who saws with it?

“Through free in a sense, and carrying out his own plans, the Assyrian was unconsciously carrying out God's purposes. shaketh it--moves it back and forward. staff . . . lift . . . itself . . .”

Therefore the Lord GOD of Hosts will send a wasting disease among Assyria’s stout warriors, and under his pomp will be kindled a fire like a burning flame.

“The robust and choice soldiers of Assyria (Ps 78:31, where "fattest" answers in the parallelism to "chosen," or "young men," Margin). leanness--carrying out the image on "fat ones." Destruction (Ps 106:15). Fulfilled (Isa 37:36). his glory--Assyria's nobles.”

Though your people, O Israel, be like the sand of the sea, only a remnant will return. Destruction has been decreed, overflowing with righteousness.

“The reason is added, Because "the consumption (fully completed destruction) is decreed (literally, decided on, brought to an issue), it overfloweth (Isa 30:28; 8:8) with justice"; that is, the infliction of just punishment (Isa 5:16) [MAURER].”

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD of Hosts says: “O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear Assyria, who strikes you with a rod and lifts his…

“Therefore--Return to the main proposition, Assyria's ultimate punishment, though employed as God's "rod" to chastise Judea for a time. O my people--God's tenderness towards His elect nation. after the manner of Egypt--as Egypt and Pharaoh oppressed thee.”

On that day the burden will be lifted from your shoulders, and the yoke from your neck. The yoke will be broken because your neck will be too large.

“Judah was still tributary to Assyria; Hezekiah had not yet revolted, as he did in the beginning of Sennacherib's reign. because of-- (Ho 10:15). the anointing--namely, "Messiah" (Da 9:24).”

Cry aloud, O Daughter of Gallim! Listen, O Laishah! O wretched Anathoth!

“"Cry aloud in consternation." Laish--not the town in Dan (Jud 18:7), but one of the same name near Jerusalem (1 Maccabees 9:9). Anathoth--three miles from Jerusalem in Benjamin; the birthplace of Jeremiah. "Poor" is applied to it in pity, on account of the impending calamity.”

but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide for the lowly of the earth.

“He as the Word of God (Re 19:13-15) comes to strike that blow which shall decide His claim to the kingdom, previously usurped by Satan, and "the beast" to whom Satan delegates his power.”

Righteousness will be the belt around His hips, and faithfulness the sash around His waist.

“So "truth" gives firm consistency to the whole character (Eph 5:14). In Isa 59:17, "righteousness" is His breastplate.”

They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines to the west; together they will plunder the sons of the east.

“With united forces they shall subdue their foes (Am 9:12). fly--as a bird of prey (Hab 1:8). upon the shoulders--This expresses an attack made unexpectedly on one from behind.”

The LORD will devote to destruction the gulf of the Sea of Egypt; with a scorching wind He will sweep His hand over the Euphrates.

“"The river" is the Euphrates, the obstruction to Israel's return "from Assyria" (Isa 11:16), a type of all future impediments to the restoration of the Jews. dry shod--Hebrew, "in shoes."”

They are coming from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens—the LORD and the weapons of His wrath—to destroy the whole country.

“They--namely, "Jehovah," and the armies which are "the weapons of His indignation." far country--Media and Persia, stretching to the far north and east. end of heaven--the far east (Ps 19:6). destroy--rather, "to seize" [HORSLEY].”

Behold, I will stir up against them the Medes, who have no regard for silver and no desire for gold.

“The heathen XENOPHON (Cyropædia, 5,1,10) represents Cyrus as attributing this characteristic to the Medes, disregard of riches. A curious confirmation of this prophecy.”

Hyenas will howl in her fortresses and jackals in her luxurious palaces. Babylon’s time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.

“Fable gave them wings, because they stand with much of the body elevated and then dart swiftly. MAURER understands here another species of jackal. her time . . .”

Even the cypresses and cedars of Lebanon exult over you: “Since you have been laid low, no woodcutter comes against us.”

“This proves, in opposition to WARBURTON [The Divine Legation], that the belief existed among the Jews that there was a Sheol or Hades, in which the "Rephaim" or manes of the departed abode.”

They will all respond to you, saying, “You too have become weak, as we are; you have become like us!”

“They taunt him and derive from his calamity consolation under their own (Eze 31:16). weak--as a shade bereft of blood and life. Rephaim, "the dead," may come from a Hebrew root, meaning similarly "feeble," "powerless." The speech of the departed closes with Isa 14:11.”

Your pomp has been brought down to Sheol, along with the music of your harps. Maggots are your bed and worms your blanket.

“THE JEWS ADDRESS HIM AGAIN AS A FALLEN ONCE-BRIGHT STAR. The language is so framed as to apply to the Babylonian king primarily, and at the same time to shadow forth through him, the great final enemy, the man of sin, Antichrist, of Daniel, St.”

How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations.

“Lucifer--"day star." A title truly belonging to Christ (Re 22:16), "the bright and morning star," and therefore hereafter to be assumed by Antichrist. GESENIUS, however, renders the Hebrew here as in Eze 21:12;”

You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God.

“"The stars" are often also used to express heavenly principalities (Job 38:7). mount of the congregation--the place of solemn meeting between God and His people in the temple at Jerusalem. In Da 11:37, and 2Th 2:4, this is attributed to Antichrist.”

But you are cast out of your grave like a rejected branch, covered by those slain with the sword, and dumped into a rocky pit like a carcass trampled underfoot.

“Rather, "clothed (that is, covered) with the slain"; as in Job 7:5, "My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust" [MAURER]. thrust through--that is, "the slain who have been thrust through," &c. stones of . . .”

Prepare a place to slaughter his sons for the iniquities of their forefathers. They will never rise up to possess a land or cover the earth with their cities.

“Prepare, &c.--charge to the Medes and Persians, as if they were God's conscious instruments. his children--Belshazzar's (Ex 20:5). rise--to occupy the places of their fathers. fill . . .”

“I will make her a place for owls and for swamplands; I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

“A FRAGMENT AS TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ASSYRIANS UNDER SENNACHERIB. This would comfort the Jews when captives in Babylon, being a pledge that God, who had by that time fulfilled the promise concerning Sennacherib (though now still future), would also fulfil His promise as…”

I will break Assyria in My land; I will trample him on My mountain. His yoke will be taken off My people, and his burden removed from their shoulders.”

“That--My purpose, namely, "that." break . . . yoke-- (Isa 10:27). my mountains--Sennacherib's army was destroyed on the mountains near Jerusalem (Isa 10:33, 34).”