Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 4. For so the Lord said unto me "For thus hath JEHOVAH said unto me"] The subject of the remaining part of this chapter is, that God would comfort and support his own people, though threatened with immediate destruction by the Assyrians; that Sennacherib's great designs and mighty efforts against them should be frustrated; and that his vast expectations should be rendered abortive, when he thought them mature, and just ready to be crowned with success; that the chief part of his army should be made a prey for the beasts of the fleld and the fowls of the air, (for this is the meaning of the allegory continued through the fifth and sixth verses;) and that Egypt, being delivered from his oppression, and avenged by the hand of God of the wrongs which she had suffered, should return thanks for the wonderful deliverance, both of herself and of the Jews, from this most powerful adversary.
Like a clear heat "Like the clear heat"] The same images are employed by an Arabian poet:- Solis more fervens, dum frigus; quumque ardet Sirius, tum vero frigus ipse et umbra.
Which is illustrated in the note by a like passage from another Arabian poet:- Calor est hyeme, refrigerium aestate.
Excerpta ex Hamasa; published by Schultens, at the end of Erpenius's Arabic Grammar, p. 425.
Upon herbs "After rain"] " rwa aur here signifies rain, according to what is said Job xxxvi. 11: 'The cloud scatters his rain.' "-Kimchi. In which place of Job the Chaldee paraphrast does indeed explain wrwa auro by hyrfm matereyh; and so again ver. 21 and chap. xxxvi. 30. This meaning of the word seems to make the best sense in this place; it is to be wished that it were better supported.
In the heat of harvest "In the day of harvest."] For µjb bechom, in the heat, fourteen MSS., (several ancient,) the Septuagint, Syriac, Arabic, and Vulgate read µwyb beyom, in the day. The mistake seems to have arisen from µjk kechom in the line above.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- Syria and Israel threatened. (Is. 17:1-11) The woe of Israel's enemies (Is. 17:12-14)
Is. 17:1-11 Sin desolates cities. It is strange that great conqueror should take pride in being enemies to mankind; but it is better tha flocks should lie down there, than that they should harbour any in ope rebellion against God and holiness. The strong holds of Israel, the kingdom of the ten tribes, will be brought to ruin. Those who ar partakers in sin, are justly made partakers in ruin. The people had, by sins, made themselves ripe for ruin; and their glory was as quickly cu down and taken away by the enemy, as the corn is out of the field by the husbandman. Mercy is reserved in the midst of judgment, for remnant. But very few shall be marked to be saved. Only here and ther one was left behind. But they shall be a remnant made holy. The fe that are saved were awakened to return to God. They shall acknowledg his hand in all events; they shall give him the glory due to his name To bring us to this, is the design of his providence, as he is ou Maker; and the work of his grace, as he is the Holy One of Israel. The shall look off from their idols, the creatures of their own fancy. We have reason to account those afflictions happy, which part between u and our sins. The God of our salvation is the Rock of our strength; an our forgetfulness and unmindfulness of him are at the bottom of all sin. The pleasant plants, and shoots from a foreign soil, ar expressions for strange and idolatrous worship, and the vile practice connected therewith. Diligence would be used to promote the growth of these strange slips, but all in vain. See the evil and danger of sin and its certain consequences.
Is. 17:12-14 The rage and force of the Assyrians resembled the might waters of the sea; but when the God of Israel should rebuke them, the would flee like chaff, or like a rolling thing, before the whirlwind In the evening Jerusalem would be in trouble, because of the powerfu invader, but before morning his army would be nearly cut off. Happy ar those who remember God as their salvation, and rely on his power an grace. The trouble of the believers, and the prosperity of their enemies, will be equally short; while the joy of the former, and the destruction of those that hate and spoil them, shall last for ever _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew כי3588 כה3541 אמר559 יהוה3068 אלי413 אשׁקוטה8252 ואביטה5027 במכוני4349 כחם2527 צח6703 עלי5921 אור219 כעב5645 טל2919 בחם2527 קציר׃7105
