
Text -- Isaiah 13:10 (NET)




Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics



collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
Which consist of many stars, and therefore give a greater sight.

Wesley: Isa 13:10 - -- All things shall look darkly and dismally; men shall have no comfort or hope.
All things shall look darkly and dismally; men shall have no comfort or hope.

Wesley: Isa 13:10 - -- As soon as he rises. As soon as they have any appearance or hope of amendment, they shall be instantly disappointed.
As soon as he rises. As soon as they have any appearance or hope of amendment, they shall be instantly disappointed.
JFB: Isa 13:10 - -- Figuratively for anarchy, distress, and revolutions of kingdoms (Isa 34:4; Joe 2:10; Eze 32:7-8; Amo 8:9; Rev 6:12-14). There may be a literal fulfilm...
Figuratively for anarchy, distress, and revolutions of kingdoms (Isa 34:4; Joe 2:10; Eze 32:7-8; Amo 8:9; Rev 6:12-14). There may be a literal fulfilment finally, shadowed forth under this imagery (Rev 21:1).

JFB: Isa 13:10 - -- Hebrew, "a fool," or "impious one"; applied to the constellation Orion, which was represented as an impious giant (Nimrod deified, the founder of Baby...
Hebrew, "a fool," or "impious one"; applied to the constellation Orion, which was represented as an impious giant (Nimrod deified, the founder of Babylon) chained to the sky. See on Job 38:31.
Clarke -> Isa 13:10
Clarke: Isa 13:10 - -- For the stars of heaven "Yea, the stars of heaven"- The Hebrew poets, to express happiness, prosperity, the instauration and advancement of states, ...
For the stars of heaven "Yea, the stars of heaven"- The Hebrew poets, to express happiness, prosperity, the instauration and advancement of states, kingdoms, and potentates, make use of images taken from the most striking parts of nature, from the heavenly bodies, from the sun, moon, and stars: which they describe as shining with increased splendor, and never setting. The moon becomes like the meridian sun, and the sun’ s light is augmented sevenfold; (see Isa 30:26); new heavens and a new earth are created, and a brighter age commences. On the contrary, the overflow and destruction of kingdoms is represented by opposite images. The stars are obscured, the moon withdraws her light, and the sun shines no more! The earth quakes, and the heavens tremble; and all things seem tending to their original chaos, See Joe 2:10; Joe 3:15, Joe 3:16; Amo 8:9; Mat 24:29; and De S. Poes. Herb. Prael. 6 et IX
And the moon shall not cause her light to shine - This in its farther reference may belong to the Jewish polity, both in Church and state, which should be totally eclipsed, and perhaps shine no more in its distinct state for ever.
Calvin -> Isa 13:10
Calvin: Isa 13:10 - -- 10.For the stars of heaven In order to strike our minds with a stronger and more distressing fear of the judgment of God, the prophets are accustomed...
10.For the stars of heaven In order to strike our minds with a stronger and more distressing fear of the judgment of God, the prophets are accustomed to add to their threatenings extravagant modes of speaking, which place the anger of God, as it were, before their eyes, and affect all our senses, as if all the elements were now arising to execute his vengeance. And yet the expressions, though unusually strong, do not go beyond the dreadful nature of what took place; for it is impossible to exhibit an image of the judgment of God so alarming that the reality shall not be felt to be more revolting and terrible.
The sun, and the moon, and the stars are mentioned, because they are striking proofs of God’s fatherly kindness towards us. Hence also Christ shows that it is an eminent proof of the goodness of God that
he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good. (Mat 5:45.)
Accordingly, when the sun and moon and stars shine in heaven, God may be said to cheer us by his bright and gracious countenance. Since therefore in the brightness of heaven God shows a cheerful and friendly countenance, as if he might be said to smile upon us, the darkness which the Prophet describes conveys the thought, that God, by hiding his face, cast the men with whom he was angry into the darkness of sorrow.
A similar description is given by the Prophet Joel.
The sun shall be turned into darkness, the moon into blood, before it comes — the day of Jehovah, great and terrible.
(Joe 2:31.)
We have already said that this mode of expression is frequently employed by the prophets, in order to inform us that everything will tend to our destruction, when God is against us. Sometimes indeed God gives tokens of his anger by means of the stars; but that is out of the usual course of events, and the darkness which the Prophet now describes will not take place till the second coming of Christ. But we ought to be satisfied with knowing that all the creatures, which by discharging their duties to us are proofs and instruments of God’s fatherly kindness, not only cease to be useful to us, when God arises to judgment, but in some measure are armed for vengeance.
Defender -> Isa 13:10
Defender: Isa 13:10 - -- This prophecy of fearful signs in the heavens (Mat 24:29), with the darkening of the sun (Rev 6:12), is to be fulfilled in the future days of tribulat...
This prophecy of fearful signs in the heavens (Mat 24:29), with the darkening of the sun (Rev 6:12), is to be fulfilled in the future days of tribulation judgment on the earth. As often the case in these prophecies of the Old Testament, the vision blends both precursive and ultimate judgments together."
TSK -> Isa 13:10
TSK: Isa 13:10 - -- Isa 5:30, Isa 24:21, Isa 24:23; Eze 32:7, Eze 32:8; Joe 2:10,Joe 2:31, Joe 3:15; Amo 8:9, Amo 8:10; Zep 1:15, Zep 1:16; Mat 24:29; Mar 13:24; Luk 21:2...

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Isa 13:10
Barnes: Isa 13:10 - -- For the stars of heaven - This verse cannot be understood literally, but is a metaphorical representation of the calamities that were coming up...
For the stars of heaven - This verse cannot be understood literally, but is a metaphorical representation of the calamities that were coming upon Babylon The meaning of the figure evidently is, that those calamities would be such as would be appropriately denoted by the sudden extinguishment of the stars, the sun, and the moon. As nothing would tend more to anarchy, distress, and ruin, than thus to have all the lights of heaven suddenly and forever quenched, this was an apt and forcible representation of the awful calamities that were coming upon the people. Darkness and night, in the Scriptures, are often the emblem of calamity and distress (see the note at Mat 24:29). The revolutions and destructions of kingdoms and nations are often represented in the Scriptures under this image. So respecting the destruction of Idumea Isa 34:4 :
And all the hosts of heaven shall be dissolved,
And the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll;
And all their host shall fall down,
As the leaf falleth from off the vine,
And as a falling fig from the fig-tree.
So in Eze 32:7-8, in a prophecy respecting the destruction of Pharaoh, king of Egypt:
And when I shall put time out,
I will cover the heavens, and make the stoa thereof dark,
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
And the moon shall not give her light.
And the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee.
And set darkness upon thy land.
(Compare Joe 2:10; Joe 3:15-16.) Thus in Amo 8:9 :
I will cause the sun to go down at noon,
And I will darken the earth in a clear day.
See also Rev 6:12-14 :
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo,
The sun became black as sackcloth of hair,
And the moon became as blood;
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth,
Even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs
When she is shaken of a mighty wind:
And the heaven deputed as a scroll when it is rolled together.
Many have supposed that these expressions respecting the sun, moon, and stars, refer to kings, and princes, and magistrates, as the "lights"of the state; and that the sense is, that their power arid glory should cease. But it is rather a figurative representation, denoting calamity "in general,’ and describing a state of extreme distress, such as would be if all the lights of heaven should suddenly become extinct.
And the constellations thereof - (
Poole -> Isa 13:10
Poole: Isa 13:10 - -- The constellations which consist of many stars, and therefore give a greater light.
The sun shall be darkened either,
1. Properly and really, by a...
The constellations which consist of many stars, and therefore give a greater light.
The sun shall be darkened either,
1. Properly and really, by an eclipse; for prodigies in heaven do sometimes go before or accompany great and public calamities upon earth. Or,
2. Figuratively, and in appearance. All things shall look darkly and dismally; men shall have no comfort nor hope. See the like descriptions of a most calamitous state, Isa 5:30 34:4 Joe 2:10,31 , &c.
In his going forth as soon as he riseth, when he is most welcome to men, and giveth them hopes of a pleasant day. As soon as they have any appearance or hope of amendment, they shall be instantly disappointed.
Haydock -> Isa 13:10
Haydock: Isa 13:10 - -- Stars. This is not to be taken literally, but only implies that the people shall be in as much consternation (Calmet) as if the world were at an end...
Stars. This is not to be taken literally, but only implies that the people shall be in as much consternation (Calmet) as if the world were at an end, ver. 13. (Haydock) (Grotius) (Matthew xxiv. 27., Apocalypse vi. 12., and Jeremias iv. 23.)
Gill -> Isa 13:10
Gill: Isa 13:10 - -- For the stars of heaven,.... This and what follows are to be understood, not literally, but figuratively, as expressive of the dismalness and gloomine...
For the stars of heaven,.... This and what follows are to be understood, not literally, but figuratively, as expressive of the dismalness and gloominess of the dispensation, of the horror and terror of it, in which there was no light, no comfort, no relief, nor any hope of any; the heavens and all the celestial bodies frowning upon them, declaring the displeasure of him that dwells there:
and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; which are assemblages of stars, or certain configurations of the heavenly bodies, devised by the ancients; to which each of the names are given for the help of the imagination and memory; the number of them are forty eight, twelve in the Zodiac, twenty one on the northern side of it, and fifteen on the southern. R. Jonah, mentioned both by Aben Ezra and Kimchi, says that "Cesil", the word here used, is a large star, called in the Arabic language "Suel", and the stars that are joined unto it are called by its name "Cesilim"; so that, according to this, only one constellation is meant; and Aben Ezra observes, that there are some that say that Cesil is a star near to the south pole, on which, if camels look, they die; but, says he, in my opinion it is "the scorpion's heart". Jerom's Hebrew master interpreted it to him Arcturus; and it is in Job 9:9 rendered Orion, and by the Septuagint here; which is one of the constellations, and one of the brightest; and the word being here in the plural number, the sense may be, were there ever so many Orions in the heavens, they should none of them give light. The Targum and Jarchi interpret it of the planets:
the sun shall be darkened in his going forth; as soon as it rises, when it goes forth out of its chamber, as in Psa 19:5 either by an eclipse of it, or by dark clouds covering it:
and the moon shall not cause her light to shine: by night, which she borrows from the sun; so that it would be very uncomfortable, day and night, neither sun, moon, nor stars appearing, see Act 27:20 by the sun, moon, and stars, may be meant king, queen, and nobles, whose destruction is here prophesied of; it being usual in prophetic language, as well as in other writers f, to express great personages hereby.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Isa 13:1-22
TSK Synopsis: Isa 13:1-22 - --1 God musters the armies of his wrath.6 He threatens to destroy Babylon by the Medes.19 The desolation of Babylon.
MHCC -> Isa 13:6-18
MHCC: Isa 13:6-18 - --We have here the terrible desolation of Babylon by the Medes and Persians. Those who in the day of their peace were proud, and haughty, and terrible, ...
Matthew Henry -> Isa 13:6-18
Matthew Henry: Isa 13:6-18 - -- We have here a very elegant and lively description of the terrible confusion and desolation which should be made in Babylon by the descent which the...
Keil-Delitzsch -> Isa 13:9-10
Keil-Delitzsch: Isa 13:9-10 - --
The day of Jehovah's wrath is coming - a starless night - a nightlike, sunless day. "Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, a cruel one, and wrath and ...
Constable: Isa 7:1--39:8 - --III. Israel's crisis of faith chs. 7--39
This long section of the book deals with Israel's major decision in Isa...

Constable: Isa 13:1--35:10 - --B. God's sovereignty over the nations chs. 13-35
This major section of the book emphasizes the folly of ...

Constable: Isa 13:1--23:18 - --1. Divine judgments on the nations chs. 13-23
The recurrence of the Hebrew word massa', translat...

Constable: Isa 13:1--20:6 - --The first series of five oracles chs. 13-20
The first series shows that God has placed I...
