Geneva Study Bible The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. The {a} burden of {b} Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
(a) Read Geneva Isa 13:1 (b) The chief city of Syria. The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. The cities of {c} Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
(c) It was a country of Syria by the river Arnon. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts. The fortress also shall cease from {d} Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the {e} glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.
(d) It seems that the prophet would comfort the Church in declaring the destruction of these two kings of Syria and Israel, when as they had conspired the overthrow of Judah. (e) The ten tribes gloried in their multitude and alliance with other nations: therefore he says that they will be brought down and the Syrians also. And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of {f} Jacob shall be diminished, and the fatness of his flesh shall become lean.
(f) Meaning, of the ten tribes who boasted themselves of their nobility, prosperity, strength and multitude. And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim. And it shall be as when the reaper gathereth {g} the grain, and reapeth the heads with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth heads in the valley of {h} Rephaim.
(g) As the abundance of corn does not fear the harvest men that would cut it down: no more will the multitude of Israel make the enemies shrink, whom God will appoint to destroy them. (h) A valley which was plentiful and fertile. Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. Yet gleaning grapes shall {i} be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches of it, saith the LORD God of Israel.
(i) Because God would have his covenant stable, he promises to reserve some of this people, and to bring them to repentance. At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. At that day shall a man look to his {k} Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.
(k) He shows that God's corrections always bring fruit, and cause his to turn from their sins and to humble themselves to him. And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images. And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images.
In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation. In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which {l} they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation.
(l) As the Canaanites left their cities when God placed the Israelites there, so the cities of Israel will not be able to defend their inhabitants any more than bushes, when God will send the enemy to plague them. Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with foreign {m} slips:
(m) Which are excellent and brought out of other countries. In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day {n} of grief and of desperate sorrow.
(n) As the Lord threatens the wicked in his law, Le 26:16. Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! {o} Woe to the multitude of many people, who make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
(o) The prophet laments, considering the horrible plague that was prepared against Israel by the Assyrians, who were infinite in number, and gathered from many nations. The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall {p} rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
(p) He adds this for the consolation of the faithful who were in Israel. And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us. And behold at the time of evening {q} trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that plunder us, and the lot of them that rob us. (q) He compares the Assyrians to a tempest which rises overnight and in the morning is gone. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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