Isaiah 10 Commentary

“I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. tread: Heb. lay them a treading”

Deceitful. Hebrew, “hypocritical,” joining my worship with that of idols. (Calmet) — They had solemnly promised to serve the Lord, Exodus xix. 8. (Worthington)

“Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.”

So. He will not think that he is executing my vengeance, supposing that he conquers by his own power.

“Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?”

As. Literally, “altogether kings.” (Haydock) — Thus Nabuchodonosor kept the conquered princes for derision, Habacuc i. 10., and Judges i. 7. — Arphad, Arad, or rather Raphanĉ, Jeremias xlix. 23. — Damascus. These two cities were not yet subdued.

“As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;”

Idols. He looks upon the true God as no better than any idols, (4 Kings xviii. 32.) and falsely supposes that the latter were adored in Jerusalem. (Calmet)

“Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. punish: Heb. visit upon stout: Heb. greatness of the heart”

Works. Humbling and terrifying Ezechias and his subjects, who were reduced to great distress, in order to avert the impending war. (Haydock) — Eyes. The Assyrians were punished in their turn.

“And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.”

Nest. Some put these words in the mouth of God. (Tertullian) (Abdias 4.) — But they shew the insolence of Sennacherib.

“Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood. the rod: or, a rod should shake them that lift it up itself, as if: or, that which is not wood”

Axe. The Assyrian has no right to boast. What can man do without God’s assistance? (Calmet) — Gratiĉ tuĉ deputo et quĉcumque non feci mala. (St. Augustine, Confessions ii. 7.) — Sennacherib persecuted the Jews of his own free will, though he was God’s instrument. (Worthington)

“Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.”

Fire. The Jews assert, that 185,000 perished by an inward burning, so that only ten men were left, ver. 19. (St. Jerome)

“And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;”

Light. God. (Haydock) — Thorns. Private soldiers. (Calmet)

“And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standardbearer fainteth. both: Heb. from the soul, and even to the flesh”

Glory. Officers. — Flesh. Or body. All shall perish. (Haydock) — Fear. Sennacherib escaped alone, and fell by the sword of his own sons.

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.”

Israel now submitted to Ezechias, as their kingdom was overturned in the sixth year of his reign, eight years before Sennacherib’s arrival. Isaias speaks of this time, and therefore makes no distinction of the kingdoms. Striketh the Assyrian.

“For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. of them: Heb. in, or, among, etc with: or, in”

Converted. This was partly verified in the children of Israel who remained after the devastations of the Assyrians, in the time of king Ezechias: and partly in the conversion of a remnant of the Jews to the faith of Christ. (Challoner) — 4 Kings xviii. 3., and Romans ix. 27. The apostle follows the Septuagint, (Calmet) “and if the people of Israel be.” — Converted. Septuagint, “saved, for perfecting the word and abridging in justice. Because God, the Lord of hosts, will make an abridged word in the universe.” (Haydock) — As the apostle has explained this passage, “every other interpretation must cease.” (St. Jerome) — The few who were converted under Ezechias were a figure of those who should embrace the faith of Christ. (Calmet) — Consumption. That is, the number of them cut short, and reduced to few, shall flourish in the abundance of justice. (Challoner) — Hebrew, “the desolation is decreed, justice shall overflow.” God will treat all with rigour, Nahum i. 8. The incredulous Jews shall be rejected, ver. 23., and Romans ix.

“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. and shall: or, but he shall lift up his staff for”

Egypt. He sent Rabsaces from Lachis, when he set out to meet Tharaca, 4 Kings xix.

“For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.”

Little. Twenty-eight years, (Psalm lxxxix. 4.) or he alludes to the destruction which took place in a single night, (Calmet) or in a moment, ver. 16. (Haydock)

“And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.”

Oreb. Judges vii. 25. — And his. Moses thus let loose the waters of the Red Sea on the Egyptians, by stretching forth his rod. (Calmet)

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. be taken: Heb. remove”

Oil. That is, by the sweet unction of divine mercy. (Challoner) — Chaldean, “before the anointed,” in consideration of Ezechias and Isaias. In the higher sense, it denotes the victory of Christ over the devil. (Calmet)

“He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages:”

Into Aiath, &c. Here the prophet describes the march of the Assyrians under Sennacherib; and the terror they should carry with them; and how they should suddenly be destroyed. (Challoner)

“They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.”

Lodging. Here, say the Assyrians, we will encamp.

“Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.”

Take. Protestants, “gather themselves to flee.” (Haydock)

“As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.”

Nobe. He may arrive thither shortly, in the environs of Jerusalem. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “exhort to-day, that they may continue on the road. Comfort with the hand the daughter of Sion, thou rock and hills within Jerusalem.” (Haydock) — Hand. As Nicanor did against the temple, 2 Machabees xv. 32. (Calmet)

“Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.”

Vessel. Like Gideon, when he attacked Madian, ver. 26., and Judges vii. 19. Septuagint, “the nobles.” (Haydock) — Hebrew, “their beauty.” The empire of Assyria shall presently fall. (Calmet)