The burden of the wilderness of the sea. 'Like hurricanes in the south for passing through, From the wilderness it hath come, From a fearful land.Isaiah 21:1 Additional Translations
Clarke's Commentary on the BibleThe desert of the sea - This plainly means Babylon, which is the subject of the prophecy. The country about Babylon, and especially below it towards the sea, was a great flat morass, overflowed by the Euphrates and Tigris. It became habitable by being drained by the many canals that were made in it.
Herodotus, lib. 1:184, says that "Semiramis confined the Euphrates within its channel by raising great dams against it; for before it overflowed the whole country like a sea." And Abydenus, (quoting Megasthenes, apud Euseb. Praep. Evang. 9:41), speaking of the building of Babylon by Nebuchadonosor, says, "it is reported that all this part was covered with water and was called the sea; and that Belus drew off the waters, conveying them into proper receptacles, and surrounded Babylon with a wall." When the Euphrates was turned out of its channel by Cyrus, it was suffered still to drown the neighboring country; and, the Persian government, which did not favor the place, taking no care to remedy this inconvenience, it became in time a great barren morassy desert, which event the title of the prophecy may perhaps intimate. Such it was originally; such it became after the taking of the city by Cyrus; and such it continues to this day.
As whirlwinds in the south "Like the southern tempests" - The most vehement storms to which Judea was subject came from the desert country to the south of it. "Out of the south cometh the whirlwind," Job 37:9. "And there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house," Job 1:19. For the situation of Idumea, the country (as I suppose) of Job, see Lamentations 4:21 compared with Job 1:1, was the same in this respect with that of Judea: -
"And Jehovah shall appear over them,
And his arrow shall go forth as the lightning;
And the Lord Jehovah shall sound the trumpet;
And shall march in the whirlwinds of the south."
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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.
Isaiah 13:1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
Isaiah 17:1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
the desert
Isaiah 13:20-22 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelled in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there...
Isaiah 14:23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction...
Jeremiah 51:42 The sea is come up on Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.
as whirlwinds
Job 37:9 Out of the south comes the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.
Daniel 11:40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind...
Zechariah 9:14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the LORD God shall blow the trumpet...
from
Isaiah 13:4,5,17,18 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together...
Ezekiel 30:11 He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations, shall be brought to destroy the land...
Ezekiel 31:12 And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him...
Isaiah 21:1 Parallel Commentaries
Awesome Burden Desert Dreadful Feared Fearful Greatly Invader Negeb Negev Oracle Passing Rushing Sea South Southland Storm-Winds Sweep Sweeping Terrible Terrifying Terror Waste Whirlwinds Wilderness WordAwesome Burden Desert Dreadful Feared Fearful Greatly Invader Negeb Negev Oracle Passing Rushing Sea South Southland Storm-Winds Sweep Sweeping Terrible Terrifying Terror Waste Whirlwinds Wilderness WordTHE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica®.Isaiah 21:1 Mobile Bible
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