Isaiah 10:23

Isa 10:23 For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.

Ver. 23. For the Lord God of hosts shall make, &c.] Here the same thing is repeated, by way of asseveration, because not easily believed or digested, but would lie heavy as hard meat. "Behold the severity of God," {Rom 11:22} and stoop to it.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

God will destroy this land as he hath determined, and after save a small portion.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

even determined--"A consumption, and whatever is determined," or decreed [MAURER].

midst--Zion, the central point of the earth as to Jehovah's presence.

land--Israel. But the Septuagint, "in the whole habitable world." So English Version (Rom 9:28), "upon the earth."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts,.... Since there is such a decree, and this will certainly be executed:

O my people, that dwellest in Zion; the inhabitants of Jerusalem; such of them especially as feared the Lord, and worshipped him, and served him in the temple:

be not afraid of the Assyrian: the king of Assyria; neither Sennacherib, that threatened them with ruin, having taken the cities of Judah, and laid siege to Jerusalem; nor Nebuchadnezzar, who carried them captive, since he would not be able utterly to destroy them, they would return and dwell in the land again; for there was a decree concerning the salvation of a remnant, which would certainly take place; and till that was executed, it was impossible the nation should be destroyed.

He shall smite thee with a rod; be an instrument of chastising and correcting, but not of destroying; Jarchi interprets it of smiting with the rod of his mouth, by means of Rabshakeh reproaching, and blaspheming:

and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt; which Kimchi explains of the tribute the Assyrians exacted of them, in like manner as the Egyptians set taskmasters over them, and afflicted them with hard bondage, in Egypt: the sense is, that though the Assyrians should annoy and distress them, yet should not utterly consume them; there would be an end of their oppression, and a deliverance out of it; even as when they were in Egypt, and oppressed there, the Lord appeared for them, and supported them, and at length saved them, and so he would now. Mention is made of a rod and a staff, in allusion to what the Assyrian is said to be in the hand of the Lord, Isa 10:5.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For the Lord God of hosts - Note, Isa 1:9.

Shall make a consumption - The Hebrew of this verse might be rendered, ‘for its destruction is completed, and is determined on; the Lord Yahweh of hosts will execute it in the midst of the land.’ Our translation, however, expresses the force of the original. It means that the destruction was fixed in the mind or purpose of God, and would be certainly executed. The translation by the Septuagint, which is followed in the main by the apostle Paul in quoting this passage, is somewhat different. ‘For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness, for a short work will the Lord make in the whole habitable world’ - ἐν τῇ οἰκουμένῃ ὅλῃ en tē oikoumenē holē; as quoted by Paul, ‘upon the earth’ - ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς epi tēs gēs. For the manner in which this passage is quoted by Paul, see the notes at Rom 9:27-28.

In the midst of all the land - That is, the land of Israel for the threatened judgment extended no further.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Shall make a consumption, even determined; the same thing is repeated in other words, with some addition; God will execute his own decree concerning the destruction of Israel, which he is well able to do, because he is the Lord of hosts.

In the midst of all the land; in all the parts of the land, not excepting Jerusalem, which was to be preserved in the Assyrian invasion, when almost all the other fenced cities of Judah should be taken; but should afterwards be taken and destroyed, as it was, first by the Babylonians, and then by the Romans.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

23. Shall make a consumption — Rather, a final work, namely, of impenitent Israel.

Even determined — The work of cutting off the larger part of Israel for persistent disobedience, is a decisive work; or, as St. Paul interprets it, Romans xi, “it is cut short in righteousness,” or as the principles of eternal justice require.

All the land — The “land” of their oppressors, and cutting off at the same time many of the rebellious and captive Jews. The rest of the Jews — a small number, but persistently obedient — shall return. These last four verses possibly were not a public declaration, but a private one to disciples adhering to Isaiah in his school at Jerusalem. Delitzsch, indeed, regards the whole section from Isa_7:5-12, inclusive as esoteric, that is, addresses to disciples merely.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Lord... shall make a consumption; rather, a consummation a final and decisive end of things. Even determined; i.e. "determined on beforehand." In the midst of all the land. "Throughout the entire land," not merely in some portions of it.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In the midst - In all the parts of the land, not excepting Jerusalem, which was to be preserved in the Assyrian invasion.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

This verse contains a further explanation. “For a consumption, even (the one) determined, (is) the Lord, Jehovah of Hosts, making (or about to make) in the midst of all the earth.” This verse and the one before it are quoted by Paul (Rom 9:27-28) to show that the Jews, as such, were not the heirs of the promise, which was intended for the remnant according to the election of grace.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For destruction and annihilation you shall see that the Holy One, blessed be He, executes upon the wicked, and you shall humble yourselves and return to Him.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

נחרצה. A decree is made by God. Comp. חרצת (1 Kings 20:40)

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.