Isaiah 13:1--21:17
message <04853> [A.M. 3292. B.C. 712. burden.]
Babylon <0894> [of Babylon.]
Isaiah <03470> [which Isaiah.]
<05375> [Lift ye up.]
bare <08192> [upon the high.]
wave <05130> [shake.]
enter ... gates <0935 06607> [go into.]
orders <06680> [commanded.]
warriors <01368> [mighty ones.]
boasting <05947> [them that.]
loud ............... commotion <06963> [noise.]
like <01823> [like as. Heb. the likeness of.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
distant <04801> [from a far.]
instruments <03627> [and the weapons.]
Wail ..... day <03213 03117> [Howl ye.]
day <03117> [for the day.]
destructive <07701> [as a.]
hands <03027> [shall all.]
limp <07503> [be faint. or, fall down. every.]
cramps <06735> [pangs.]
one another ... astonishment <0376 07453 08539> [be amazed one at another. Heb. wonder every man at his neighbour. flames. Heb. faces of the flames.]
cruelty <0394> [cruel.]
<08045> [he shall.]
punish <06485> [I will punish.]
pride <01347> [and I will cause.]
shake <07264> [I will.]
earth <0776> [the earth.]
fury <05678> [in the wrath.]
frightened <05080> [as the.]
each ...... each <0376> [they shall.]
children <05768> [children.]
wives <0802> [and their.]
stirring <05782> [I will.]
concerned about ...... interested <02803> [shall not regard.]
cut ..... ribbons <07376> [shall dash.]
look <05869> [their eye.]
Babylon <0894> [Babylon.]
Babylon, whose destruction and utter ruin are here predicted, was situated in the midst of a large plain, having a very deep and fruitful soil, on the Euphrates, about 252 miles south-east of Palmyra, and the same distance north-west of Susa and the Persian gulf, in lat. 32 degrees 30' N. and long. 44 degrees 20' E. According to Herodotus, it formed a perfect square, each side of which was 120 stadia, and consequently its circumference 480 stadia, or sixty miles; inclosed by a wall 200 cubits high, and fifty wide, on the top of which were small watch towers of one story high, leaving a space between them, through which a chariot and four might pass and turn. On each side were twenty-five gates of solid brass; from each of which proceeded a street, 150 feet broad, making in all fifty streets; which, crossing each other at right angles, intersected the city into 676 squares, extending four stadia and a half on each side, along which stood the houses, all built three or four stories high, and highly decorated towards the street; the interior of these squares being employed as gardens, pleasure grounds, etc. Its principal ornaments were the temple of Belus, having a tower of eight stories, upon a base of a quarter of a mile square; a most magnificent palace; and the famous hanging gardens, or artificial mountains raised upon arches, and planted with large and beautiful trees. Cyrus took it by diverting the waters of the Euphrates, which ran through the midst, and entering by the channel; and the river being never restored to its proper course, overflowed the whole country, and made it a morass. Darius Hystaspes afterwards depopulated the place, lowered the walls, and demolished the gates; Xerxes destroyed the temples; the building of Seleucia nearly exhausted it of its inhabitants; a king of the Parthians carried a number of them into slavery, and destroyed the most beautiful parts; so that modern travellers describe it as a mass of shapeless ruins, the habitation of wild beasts.
God <0430> [when God overthrow. Heb. the overthrowing of.]
Wild animals <06728> [But.]
Wild animals <06728> [wild beasts. Heb. Ziim. doleful creatures. Heb. Ochim. owls. or, ostriches. Heb. daughters of the owl.]
Wild dogs <0338> [the wild beasts. Heb. Iim. desolate houses. or, palaces. dragons.]
time <06256> [her time.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
choose <0977> [choose.]
special ..... them <03240> [set.]
Resident foreigners <01616> [the strangers.]
family <01004> [and the house.]
they settle .......... captors .... rule ....... them <07617 07287> [and they.]
they settle .......... captors .... rule ....... them <07617 07287> [whose captives they were. Heb. that had taken them captives. they shall rule over.]
taunt <04912> [proverb. or, taunting speech.]
oppressor <05065> [How.]
Hostility <04062> [golden city. or, exactress of gold.]
struck down <05221> [who smote.]
unceasing blows <04347 01115> [continual stroke. Heb. a stroke without removing. is persecuted.]
without <01097> [and none.]
break into song <06476> [they.]
Sheol <07585> [Hell. or, The grave. from.]
stirred up <07264> [is moved.]
former leaders <06260> [chief ones. Heb. leaders, or, great goats.]
weak <02470> [Art thou also.]
splendor <01347> [pomp.]
maggots <07415> [the worm.]
fallen <05307> [How art thou fallen.]
shining <01966> [Lucifer. or, day-star.]
conqueror <02522> [weaken.]
said <0559> [thou.]
climb up <05927> [I will ascend.]
mountain <02022> [the mount.]
climb up <05927> [ascend.]
myself <01819> [I will be.]
down <03381> [thou.]
remote slopes <03411> [to the.]
stare <07688> [shall narrowly.]
man <0376> [Is this.]
made <07760> [made.]
free ... prisoners ...... home <01004 0615 06605> [opened not the house of his prisoners. or, did not let his prisoners loose homewards.]
lie <07901> [all of.]
own tomb <01004> [house.]
thrown out <07993> [thou.]
The prophet having briefly set forth, in the beginning of this chapter, the deliverance of Judah from captivity, in consequence of the destruction of Babylon, then introduces this triumphant song, the beauties of which are excellently illustrated by Bp. Lowth.
headed for <03381> [go.]
offspring <02233> [the seed.]
execute <04293> [slaughter.]
not <01077> [do not.]
rise <06965> [I will.]
remembrance <08034> [the name.]
people <07605> [remnant.]
turn ... into <07760> [make.]
sweeps <02894> [I will sweep.]
Lord <03068> [Lord.]
have intended <01819> [Surely.]
break <07665> [I will.]
yoke <05923> [then.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
hand <03027> [his.]
[A.M. 3278. B.C. 726.]
happy <08055> [Rejoice.]
Philistines <06429> [whole.]
club <07626> [because.]
viper <05175> [for.]
serpent's <06848> [cockatrice. or, adder.]
adder <08314> [a fiery.]
<01060> [the firstborn.]
poor <01800> [the poor.]
kill <04191> [and I.]
Wail <03213> [Howl.]
comes <0935> [for.]
stragglers <0909> [none shall be alone. or, he shall not be alone. appointed times. or, assemblies.]
respond <06030> [shall one.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
oppressed <06041> [and the.]
safety <02620> [trust in it. or, betake themselves unto it.]
message <04853> [burden.]
This and the following chapter form one entire prophecy; which was most probably delivered, as Bp. Lowth supposes, soon after the foregoing, (ch. 14:28-32,) in the first year of Hezekiah, and accomplished in his fourth year when Shalmaneser invaded Israel.
Moab ........... Moab ............. Moab <04124> [Moab.]
night ............. night <03915> [in the.]
Ar <06144> [Ar.]
destroyed ............. destroyed <01820> [brought to silence. or, cut off. Kir.]
[Kir-hareseth.]
[Kir-haresh.]
[Kir-haraseth.]
[Kir-heres.]
went up <05927> [is gone.]
Moab <04124> [Moab.]
Nebo <05015> [Nebo.]
Medeba <04311> [Medeba.]
head <07218> [all.]
streets ............ squares <02351 07339> [their streets.]
roofs <01406> [on the.]
down weeping <01065 03381> [weeping abundantly. Heb. descending into weeping; or, coming down with weeping.]
Heshbon <02809> [Heshbon.]
Jahaz <03096> [Jahaz.]
<05315> [his.]
heart <03820> [My heart.]
fugitives <01280> [his fugitives, etc. or, to the borders thereof, even as an heifer. Zoar.]
Eglath Shelishiyah <07992> [three.]
ascent <04608> [the mounting.]
weep <01065> [with.]
demise <07667> [destruction. Heb. breaking.]
Nimrim <05249> [Nimrim.]
[Nimrah.]
[Beth-nimrah.]
[Beth-nimrah.]
gone <04923> [desolate. Heb. desolations. the grass.]
what they have <03502> [the abundance.]
Stream <05158> [to the.]
Stream .... Poplars <06155 05158> [brook of the willows. or, valley of the Arabians.]
cries of distress <02201> [the cry.]
Eglaim <097> [Eglaim.]
[En-eglaim]
Eglaim is called Agallim by Eusebius, who places it eight miles south from Ar or Areopolis.
Dimon .............. Dimon <01775> [Dimon.]
Some have Dibon; and Jerome says that the same town was called both Dibon and Dimon.
<03254> [more. Heb. additions.]
lion <0738> [lions.]
fugitives <06413> [him.]
Bp. Lowth, upon the authority of the LXX., renders, "upon the escaped of Moab, and Ariel, and the remnant of Admah."
rams <03733> [the lamb.]
Sela <05554> [from.]
Sela <05554> [Sela. or, Petra. Heb. a rock. the mount.]
flies <05074> [as.]
forced .... nest <07971 07064> [cast out of the nest. or, a nest forsaken. the fords.]
Bring <0935> [Take. Heb. Bring. execute.]
Provide <07896> [make.]
Hide <05641> [hide.]
fugitives <05080> [mine.]
one who applies pressure <04160> [for.]
one who applies pressure <04160> [extortioner. Heb. wringer. oppressors. Heb. treaders down.]
trustworthy <02617> [in mercy.]
established <03559> [established. or, prepared. in the.]
make <08199> [judging.]
experienced <04106> [hasting.]
heard <08085> [have.]
boastful claims <0907> [but.]
Moab ...... they <04124> [shall Moab.]
Kir Hareseth <07025> [Kir-hareseth.]
moan <01897> [mourn. or, mutter.]
fields <07709> [the fields.]
vines <01612> [the vine.]
[Shibmah.]
rulers <01167> [the lords.]
Jazer <03270> [Jazer.]
spread out <05203> [stretched out. or, plucked up.]
weep <01058> [I will bewail.]
Heshbon <02809> [O Heshbon.]
shout triumphantly .... fruit ... crops <01959 07019 07105> [for.]
shout triumphantly .... fruit <01959 07019> [the shouting for. or, the alarm is fallen upon, etc.]
heart <04578> [my.]
Kir Hareseth <07025> [Kir-haresh.]
[Kir-hareseth.]
When <07200> [when.]
enter .......... ineffective <0935 03201> [he shall.]
ineffective <03201> [but.]
previously <0227> [since.]
three <07969> [three.]
splendor <03519> [the glory.]
survivors <07605> [and the remnant.]
insignificant <03808> [feeble. or, not many.]
message <04853> [A.M. cir. 3263. B.C. cir. 741. burden.]
Damascus ... Damascus <01834> [Damascus.]
Damascus ... Damascus ... no longer <01834 05493> [Damascus is.]
ruins <04654> [a ruinous.]
Aroer <06177> [Aroer.]
herds <05739> [they shall.]
peace <02729> [none.]
Fortified <04013> [fortress.]
splendor <03519> [they shall.]
splendor <03519> [the glory.]
<04924> [the fatness.]
harvest <07105> [as when.]
Valley <06010> [the valley.]
Valley <06010> [the valley of the giants.]
trust <08159> [he shall.]
<04639> [the work.]
incense altars <02553> [images. or, sun-images.]
ignore <07911> [thou hast.]
God <0430> [the God.]
protector <06697> [the rock.]
cultivate <05193> [shalt thou.]
harvest <07105> [the harvest.]
day ................................ disappear .... day ... disease ... incurable pain <03117 02470 0605 03511 05067> [a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. or, removed in the day of inheritance, and there shall be deadly sorrow.]
massing together <01995> [multitude. or, noise.]
make a commotion as loud as the roaring <01993> [make a noise.]
powerful <03524> [mighty. or, many.]
shouts <01605> [but.]
shouts <01605> [rebuke.]
driven <07291> [shall be.]
dead thistles <01534> [a rolling thing. or, thistle-down.]
<06256> [at evening-tide.]
fate <02506> [the portion.]
as good as dead ... one <01945> [A.M. cir. 3290. B.C. cir. 714. Woe.]
Bp. Lowth renders, after Bochart, "Ho! to the land of the winged cymbal;" which he thinks is a periphrasis for the Egyptian sistrum; and consequently, that Egypt, "which borders on the rivers of Cush," is the country to which the prophecy is addressed. If we translate "shadowing with wings," it may allude to the multitude of its vessels, whose sails may be represented under the notion of wings.
land <0776> [the land.]
buzzing <06767> [shadowing.]
beyond <05676> [which.]
sends <07971> [sendeth.]
boats <03627> [vessels.]
It is well known that the Egyptians commonly used on the Nile a light sort of ships or boats made of the papyrus. See note on Ex 2:3.
nation ................. nation <01471> [to a nation.]
tall smooth-skinned <04900 04178> [scattered and peeled. or, outspread and polished.]
Or, as Bp. Lowth renders, "stretched out in length and smoothed." Egypt, which is situated between 24 degrees and 32 degrees N. lat. and 30 degrees and 33 degrees E. long., being bounded on the south by Ethiopia, on the north by the Mediterranean, on the east by the mountains of Arabia, and on the west by those of Lybia, is one long vale, 750 miles in length, (through the middle of which runs the Nile,) in breadth from one to two or three day's journey, and even at the widest part of the Delta, from Pelusium to Alexandria, not above 250 miles broad.
people <05971> [to a people.]
[Heb. Meted out and trodden down. or, that meteth out and treadeth down. Heb. of line, line, and treading under foot.]
This is an allusion to the frequent necessity of having recourse to mensuration in Egypt, in order to determine their boundaries, after the inundation of the Nile had smoothed their land and effaced their landmarks; and to their method of throwing seed upon the mud, when the waters had subsided, and treading it in by turning their cattle into the fields.
divide <0958> [have spoiled. or, despise.]
live <03427> [All ye.]
see ..... raised <07200 05375> [see ye.]
place <04349 05027> [consider in my dwelling place. or, regard my set dwelling.]
scorching <06703> [like a clear.]
<0216> [upon herbs. or, after rain.]
tribute <07862> [shall the.]
tall ... smooth-skinned <04900 04178> [scattered and peeled. or, outspread and polished.]
place <04725> [to the.]
Egypt ............ Egypt ..... Egypt ...... Egyptians <04714> [Egypt.]
rides <07392> [rideth.]
idols <0457> [the idols.]
courage <03824> [the heart.]
provoke <05526> [I will.]
provoke <05526> [set. Heb. mingle.]
panic <07307> [the spirit.]
This is a prophecy of what took place in Egypt about twenty-two years after the destruction of Sennacherib's army; when, upon the death of Tirhakah, (B.C. 688,) not being able to settle about the succession, they continued for two years in a state of anarchy, confusion, and civil wars; which was followed by the tyranny of twelve princes, who, dividing the country among them, governed it for fifteen years; and at last, by the sole dominion of Psammiticus, which he held for fifty-four years.
panic <01238> [fail. Heb. be emptied. and I.]
confuse <01104> [destroy. Heb. swallow up.]
seek guidance <01875> [and they.]
hand <05534> [give over. or, shut up.]
harsh master ............ master <0113 07186> [a cruel lord.]
Rather, "cruel lords," agreeable to the LXX., Syriac, Vulgate, and the original {adonim kasheh.} Nebuchadnezzar, who first conquered and ravaged Egypt, B.C. 573, and the following year; and then, not only his successors, but Cambyses, (who invaded Egypt, B.C. 526,) the son of Cyrus, and the whole succession of Persian kings till the time of Alexander, who were in general hard masters, and grievously oppressed the country.
streams <02975> [and the.]
bulrushes <07070> [the reeds.]
cultivated land <04218> [every.]
[be no more. Heb. shall not be.]
make <05647> [work.]
turn pale <02355> [net works. or, white works.]
cloth <08356> [purposes. Heb. foundations. make.]
depressed <05315> [for fish. or, of living things.]
officials <08269> [the princes.]
Zoan <06814> [Zoan.]
stupid <01197> [brutish.]
one <01121> [I am.]
where oh ..... wise <0335 0645 02450> [where are thy.]
tell ..... find <05046 03045> [let them.]
officials ... Zoan ..... officials <06814 08269> [princes of Zoan.]
Memphis <05297> [Noph.]
rulers <06438> [stay. or, governors. Heb. corners.]
<04537> [hath mingled.]
undiscerning <07307 05773> [perverse spirit. Heb. spirit of perverseness. as a.]
women <0802> [like.]
brandishes <08573> [the shaking.]
land <0127> [the land.]
<06440> [because.]
time <03117> [that day.]
five <02568> [shall five.]
speak <01696> [speak.]
language <08193> [language. Heb. lip.]
swear <07650> [and swear.]
Sun <02041> [destruction. Heb. Heres, or, the sun.]
Instead of {heres,} "destruction," which is also the reading of Aquila, Theodotion, and the Syriac, fifteen MSS. and seven editions have {cheres,} "the sun;" agreeable to Symmachus, the Arabic, and Vulagte; while the Chaldee takes in both readings; and the LXX. reads [polis asedek,] "the city of righteousness," a name apparently contrived by the party of Onias, to give credit to his temple. As, however, {heres} in Arabic signifies a lion, Conrad Ikenius is of opinion that the place here mentioned is not Heliopolis, as is commonly supposed, but Leontopolis in the Heliopolitan nome, as it is termed in the letter of Onias to Ptolemy. The whole passage, from this verse to the end, contains a general intimation of the propagation of the knowledge of the true God in Egypt and Syria, under the successors of Alexander, and the early reception of the gospel in the same countries.
visual reminder <0226 05707> [for a.]
cry out <06817> [they shall.]
send <07971> [he shall send.]
Lord ... reveal ......... acknowledge ... Lord's .................. Lord <03068 03045> [Lord shall.]
authority ....... present ..... they <05647> [and shall.]
make <05087> [shall vow.]
strike ... striking <05062> [he shall smite.]
turn <07725> [they shall.]
Israel <03478> [shall.]
blessing <01293> [a blessing.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
blessing ...... Blessed <01288> [Blessed.]
Israel <03478> [and Israel.]
commanding general <08661> [Tartan.]
Tartan was one of the generals of Sennacherib, who, it is probable, is here called Sargon, and in the book of Tobit, Sacherdonus and Sacherdan, against whom Tirhakah, king of Cush or Ethiopia, was in league with the king of Egypt.
Ashdod <0795> [Ashdod.]
captured <03920> [and took.]
Isaiah <03470> [Isaiah. Heb. the hand of Isaiah. Go.]
sackcloth <08242> [the sackcloth.]
<02502> [put.]
undergarments <06174> [naked.]
three <07969> [three.]
object lesson <0226> [a sign.]
Egypt <04714> [upon Egypt.]
king <04428> [shall.]
Egypt ....................... Egyptians <04714> [Egyptians. Heb. captivity of Egypt. with their.]
publicly humiliated <06172> [shame. Heb. nakedness.]
afraid <02865> [afraid.]
pride <08597> [their glory.]
coast <0339> [isle. or, country.]
fled <05127> [whither.]
escape <04422> [and how.]
message <04853> [The burden.]
The first ten verses of this chapter contain a prediction of the taking of Babylon by the Medes and Persians; which is here denominated "the desert of the sea," because the country around it, and especially towards the sea, was a great morass, often overflowed by the Tigris and Euphrates, and only rendered habitable by being drained by a number of canals.
Desert ................ desert <04057> [the desert.]
strong winds <05492> [As whirlwinds.]
Desert ................ desert ....... feared <04057 03372> [from.]
distressing <07186> [grievous. Heb. hard.]
deceiver deceives <0898> [the treacherous.]
Attack <05927> [Go up.]
groaning <0585> [all the.]
stomach <04975> [are.]
cramps overwhelm ..... contractions <06735 0270> [pangs have.]
disturbed <05753> [I was bowed.]
My heart <08582 03824> [heart panted. or, mind wandered. the night.]
brought <07760> [turned. Heb. put.]
eat <0398> [eat.]
Get up <06965> [arise.]
<03212> [Go.]
sees <07200> [And he saw.]
must <07181> [he hearkened.]
guard cries out <0738 07121> [cried, A lion. or, cried as a lion.]
stand <05975> [I stand.]
night <03915> [whole nights. or, every night.]
coming <0935> [behold.]
Babylon <0894> [Babylon.]
idols <06456> [all.]
downtrodden <04098> [my threshing.]
people <01121> [corn. Heb. son. that which.]
Dumah <01746> [Dumah.]
Dumah is probably the same as Dumatha, a city of Arabia, mentioned by Stephanus, and the modern Dumah and Dumathalgandel, on the borders of Arabia and Syria, in a rocky valley. The Edomites, says Bp. Lowth, as well as Jews, were subdued by the Babylonians. They enquire of the prophet how long their subjection is to last; he intimates that the Jews should be delivered from their captivity; not so the Edomites. "The morning cometh, and also the night."
Seir <08165> [me out.]
night ........ night <03915> [what.]
Morning <01242> [The morning.]
ask ask <01158> [if.]
Arabia ...... Arabia <06152> [Arabia.]
caravans <0736> [O ye.]
Tema <08485> [Tema.]
Bring out <0857> [brought. or, bring ye.]
[from the swords. or, for fear of the swords. Heb. from the face of.]
year <08141> [according.]
Kedar <06938> [Kedar.]
archers <07198> [archers. Heb. bows. the mighty.]
Lord <03068> [for.]
(NT only) to listen to the NET Bible 
