K³ O 1,2. Rebellion against Yehovah.
P 3-5. Egypt. Disappointment from.
Q a 6. Property. Removal.
b 7. Reason. Egypt's help, vain.
O 8-11. Rebellion against Yehovah.
P 12-14. Egypt. Destruction of.
Q b 15. Egypt's help, vain.
a 16,17. Persons. Flight.649-588 B.C.
Isaiah )
1 “Woe (the 3rd of 6) to the stubborn (or backsliding) sons,” says the Lord, “that carry out a purpose, but not of Me; and that cover with a covering (or, pour out a libation; and so, make an alliance), but not of Me (Heb. ruach), that they may add sin to sin:
2 That are setting out to go down into Egypt (this prophecy had been given in the days of Hezekiah [617-588], and was then being fulfilled in Israel), and have not asked at My mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh (cp. v.7, where it is shown to be a vain help. In vv.2,3, "strength" is literal. In v.7 it is a Figure), and to flee for refuge to the shadow of Egypt!
3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and fleeing for refuge to the shadow of Egypt your confusion.
4 For his (i.e. Pharaoh's) princes were at Zoan (in the time of Moses it was the capital or court of Pharaoh, and the scene of his [by God] miracles [Ps.78:12,43], and the seat of wisdom [19:11,13]. At Zoan begins the exodus), and his ambassadors came to Hanes. (called Tahapanes [Jer. 2:16]. Now Tel Defenneh, about 70 miles from Cairo, the capital of a minor district. Succeeded Memphis as the capital before Abraham's time. Known to the Greeks as Hiracleopolis Magna. The name only occurs here in Scripture)
5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.”
6 The burden of the beasts (refers to the lading of the animals of the ambassadors who were going down to Egypt with rich gifts to secure an alliance, and thus reversing the steps of their national deliverance. It is not a fresh "burden", "the beginning of which has been lost") of the Negev (which must be passed through to get to Egypt. See Gen.13:1, and Ps.126:4): into the land of trouble and anguish, from which place come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent (see Deut. 8:15), they will carry their strength upon the shoulders of young asses (fig., put for the riches or treasures carried by it), and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, [relying] upon a people (i.e. the Egyptians, as stated in preceding clause) that shall not profit them.
7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I called (or named) her, “Their strength is to sit still.” (Heb. Egypt - sitting still [and thus not giving help that was being sought]. Rahab = pride, or strength, is put by fig., for Egypt, the proud or strong one. Note the wrong but common use of this verse, through not heeding the context)
8 Now go, write it before them in a tablet, and inscribe it in a book (see Ex. 17:14; 24:4; 34:27,28. Num. 33:2. Deut. 31:9,24), that it may be for the latter day for ever and ever:
9 That this is a rebellious People, lying sons, sons that will not hear the law (or, instruction contained in the law of Moses) of Yehovah:
10 Which say to the seers, “See not;” and to the prophets, “Prophesy not to us right things, speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path (see 2:3), cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.”
12 Wherefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Because you all despise this word, and confide in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:
13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly at an instant.
14 And He shall break it as the breaking of the potters' vessel that is broken in pieces(the reference is to the manufacture of homrah, by breaking up pottery to powder in order to make cement of it. Carried on in the valley of Hinnom. See Jer. 19:1,2); He shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a shard to take that which is kindled, or to take water withal out of the cistern.”
15 For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; “In returning and rest shall you all be saved; in quietness and in trust (i.e. trust in Yehovah) shall be your real power: and you all would not.
16 But you all said, ‘No; for we will flee upon horses;’ therefore shall you all flee: and, ‘We will ride upon the swift;’ therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.
17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one (see Rev.26:8. Deut. 28:25; 32:30); at the threat of five shall you all flee: till you all be left as a pole (or mast) upon the top of a mountain, and as a flagstaff on an hill.
L³ c¹ 18-21. Blessing for Israel. Spiritual.
d¹ 22. Judgment on idols.
c² 23-26. Blessing for Israel. Temporal.
d² 27,28. Judgment on nations.
c³ 29. Blessing for Israel. Spiritual.
d³ 30-33. Judgment on Assyria.
18 And therefore will the Lord wait, that He may show you favor (or grace), and therefore will He be exalted, that He may show you compassion: for the Lord is an God of judgment: O the happiness of all they that look for Him. (the first of 3 in Isaiah [32:20;56:2])
19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: you shall weep no more: He will be very gracious to you at the voice of your cry; when He shall hear it, He will answer you.
20 And the Lord will give you affliction [as] bread and adversity [as] water, and your Teacher (i.e. Yehovah) shall not hide Himself any more, but your eyes shall be clearly seeing your great Teacher:
21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk you all in it,” when you all turn to the right hand, and when you all turn to the left.
22 You all shall defile also the covering of your graven images of silver (see Ex. 38:17,19, and Num. 16:38,39), and the ornament of you molten images of gold (rendered ephod. See Ex. 28:8, and 39:5): you shall cast them away as a menstrual cloth; you shall say unto it, “Get you from this place.”
23 Then shall He give the rain of your seed (another reading is "your land"), that you shall sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the ground (or soil), and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall your cattle feed in large pastures.
24 The oxen likewise and the young asses that plow the ground (from Anglo-Saxon erian: and this from the Latin arare: the Aryan root AR entering into many words with a cognate reference. ARt [ploughing being the oldest art]: oAR [with which the water is ploughed]: ARtos [Greek forbread]: eARth; ARatrum [Latin, plough]; ARare [to plough].) shall eat clean provender, which has been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.
25 And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and watercourses in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord binds up the breach of His People, and heals the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the Lord (see Ps.20:1) comes from far, burning with His anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: His lips are full of indignation, and His tongue as a devouring fire:
28 And His breath (= blast [Heb. ruach]. See 25:4), as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the peoples, causing them to err.
29 You all shall have a song, as in the night when a set apart solemnity is kept (refers to the Pentateuch and the habitual keeping of the feasts there prescribed. See Lev.23:3, &c.); and gladness of heart, as when one goes with a pipe to come into the mountain of the Lord (see 2:3 and Ezek. 28:16), to the mighty Rock of Israel (Deut. 32:4,15,18,30,31. Cp. Isa. 26:).
30 And the Lord shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of His arm, with the indignation of His anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones.
31 For through the voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.
32 And in every stroke of the staff of doom, which the Lord shall lay upon him, it shall be with drums and harps: and in battles of tumult will He fight with it.
33 For Tophet is ordained of old (= the place of burning. In the valley of Hinnon, the place where continual fires consumed the refuge of Jerusalem. Cp. Rev.19:20; 20:10); yes, for Molech it is prepared (see 1 Kings 11:7); He has made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord (see 2:22), like a stream of brimstone, does kindle it.