Isaiah 10:33

33, 34. Just when the Assyrian is in sight of his goal, Jehovah smites him down. The description naturally passes into figurative and somewhat vague language. The image is that of a stately forest laid low by the axe-man.

Isa_10:33. The Lord Jehovah of Hosts, as in Isa_10:16.

The “high ones of stature,” and the “lofty ones” (R.V.) are the great trees; the epithets keep within the limits of the figure. For be humbled read lie low.

Isa_10:34. the thickets of the forest (R.V.) cf. ch. Isa_9:18. The verb in the first clause is probably passive: “shall be cut down.” Lebanon] Better, the Lebanon. Lebanon means “the white (mountain)”—either from its snows or its chalk cliffs—and in Hebr. prose always retains the art.; here, however, the reference is to its forests, which supply a figure for the Assyrian army.

a mighty one] or “a majestic One”—Jehovah Himself.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron,.... The multitude of the common soldiers, the whole body of the army, by means of one of his angels, that excel in strength, for which he is compared to "iron"; and which is explained in the next clause:

and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one; the Assyrian army is compared to the forest of Lebanon, for the multitude of trees in it, and the tallness of its cedars, it abounding not only with common soldiers, but with great men; so it is compared to a forest, and to Carmel, or a fruitful field, in Isa 10:18 and the Assyrian monarch is said to be a cedar in Lebanon, Eze 31:3 which fell by the hands of one of the mighty angels, Kg2 19:35 some, because of this last clause, think that this and the preceding verse Isa 10:33 are to be understood of the calamities that should come upon the Jews, at the time of the Babylonish captivity; for though Sennacherib should stop at Nob; and proceed no further, however should not be able to take Jerusalem, yet hereafter a successor of his should; and, according to this sense, by the "bough" lopped may be meant Jeconiah, or Zedekiah king of Judah; by the "high ones of stature", and the "haughty" ones, his children, the princes of the blood, and the nobles of the land; and by the "thickets of the forest", the common people, who were either killed or carried captive; and by Lebanon, the temple, Zac 11:1 and by the "mighty one", Nebuchadnezzar that burnt it. And some of the ancient Jews interpret this last clause of the destruction of the temple by Vespasian; they observe upon this passage in one place (m), there is no mighty one but a king, as in Jer 30:21 and there is no Lebanon but the house of the sanctuary, according to Deu 3:25 wherefore when a certain Jew saluted Vespasian as a king, and he replied that he was no king, the Jew made answer, if thou art not a king, thou shall be one; for this house (meaning the temple) shall not be destroyed but by the hands of a king, as it is said, "and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one" (n).

(m) T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 56. 2. (n) Midrash Echa Rabbati, fol 46. 4.

Next: Isaiah Chapter 11

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

Isa 10:33 Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature [shall be] hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.

Ver. 33. Behold, the Lord shall lop the bough,] i.e., Those of greatest state and stature in the Assyrian army.

And the haughty shall be humbled.] See Isa 2:11; Isa 2:17.

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.

Isa 10:33-34. The Lord of hosts shall lop the bough — The top bough, Sennacherib; with terror — Hebrew, במערצהbemagnaratza, with a dreadful crash, as Bishop Lowth renders it, expressed by the very sound of the Hebrew word; by a most terrible and unexpected blow; and the high ones, &c. — The lofty boughs, Hebrew, ורמי הקומהexcelsi statura, the high of stature: that is, his valiant soldiers, or the great commanders of his army, compared to the tall trees of a forest; shall be hewn down — By a sudden and irresistible stroke; and the haughty — The proud, self- confident boasters, elati animo, the high-minded, as חגבהיםsignifies; shall be humbled — Shall be laid motionless in the dust, namely, by the invisible power of the destroying angel. And he shall cut down the thickets, &c., with iron — Or, as with iron, as the trees of the forest are cut down with instruments of iron; and Lebanon — Or, his Lebanon, the Assyrian army, which being before compared to a forest, and being called his Carmel in the Hebrew text, (Isa 10:18,) may very fitly, upon the same ground, be called his Lebanon here. Shall fall by a mighty one — By a mighty angel, Isa 37:36.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Fear and destruction shall come upon Judah for the princes and the people shall be all led away captives.

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

bough--literally, the "beauty" of the tree; "the beautiful branch."

high ones of stature--"the upright stem," as distinguished from the previous "boughs" [HORSLEY].

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

Verse 33. Shall lop the bough with terror] פארה purah; but פורה purah, wine-press, is the reading of twenty-six of Kennicott's and twenty-three of De Rossi's MSS., four ancient editions, with Symmachus, Theodotion, and the Chaldee.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(33) Behold, . . . the Lord of hosts . . .—The sudden change of tone indicates another pressure of the “strong hand” of Jehovah (Isa_8:11), another burst of intensest inspiration. So far shalt thou go, the prophet says to Sargon, as he said afterwards to Sennacherib (Isa_37:28-32), and no farther. In the “boughs” that are to be lopped, and the “thickets of the forest” that are to be cut down, we have the same imagery as in Isa_10:17-19. The constant boasts of the Assyrian kings that they cut down the forests of the nations they conquered, gave a special fitness to this emblem of the work of the Divine Nemesis. High as the cedars of Lebanon might rise in their majesty, the “Mighty One” of Israel (better, Glorious One; comp. Isa_10:18, Isa_33:21; Psa_93:4) would lay them low.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Behold, the Lord ... - The prophet had described, in the previous verses, the march of the Assyrians toward Jerusalem, station by station. He had accompanied him in his description until he had arrived in full sight of the city, which was the object of all his preparation. He had described the consternation which was felt at his approach in all the smaller towns. Nothing had been able to stand before him; and now, flushed with success, and confident that Jerusalem would fall, he stands before the devoted city. But here, the prophet announces that his career was to close; and here his arms to be stayed. Here he was to meet with an overthrow, and Jerusalem would still be safe. This is the design of the prophecy, to comfort the inhabitants of Jerusalem with the assurance that they still would be safe.

Will lop the bough - The word “bough” here (פארה pû'râh) is from פאר pâ'ar to adorn, to beautify; and is given to a branch or bough of a tree on account of its beauty. It is, therefore, descriptive of that which is beautiful, honored, proud; and is applied to the Assyrian on account of his pride and magnificence. In Isa 10:18-19, the prophet had described the army of the Assyrian as a magnificent forest. Here he says that the glory of that army should be destroyed, as the vitality and beauty of the waving bough of a tree is quickly destroyed when it is lopped with an axe. There can scarcely be conceived a description, that would more beautifully represent the fading strength of the army of the Assyrian than this.

With terror - In such a way as to inspire terror.

The high ones of stature - The chief men and officers of the army.

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

Vessel. Like Gideon, when he attacked Madian, ver. 26., and Judges vii. 19. Septuagint, "the nobles." (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "their beauty." The empire of Assyria shall presently fall. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The bough; the top bough, Sennacherib; or,

the boughs, his valiant soldiers or commanders of his army, which he compareth to a forest, Isa 10:18,34.

With terror; with a most terrible and amazing stroke by an angel.

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

The Lord... shall lop the bough with terror. A check to the Assyrian arms is intended, but of what nature is not clear. The "lopping of the bough with terror" might indicate a panic, such as that which seized the Syrians and made Benhadad II raise the siege of Samaria. (2Ki_7:6, 2Ki_7:7) But the expressions used later on," hewn down," "cut down," "shall fall," rather imply a defeat.

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

The bough - The top-bough, Sennacherib, with a most terrible stroke.

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

To the triumphant march and proud defiance now succeeds abruptly the tremendous downfall of the enemy himself, in describing which the Prophet resumes the figure dropped at v. 19, and represents the catastrophe as the sudden and violent prostration of a forest. “Behold, the Lord, Jehovah of hosts (is) lopping (or about to lop) the branch (of this great tree) with terror (or tremendous violence), and the (trees) high of stature (shall be) felled, and the lofty ones brought low.” Lofty of stature is not to be applied to men directly, as descriptive either of their pride or their appearance, but to trees, as representing the Assyrians in general or their chief men in particular.

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

Behold

This can be translated as "Look" or "Listen" or "Pay attention to what I am about to tell you."

Yahweh of hosts

See how you translated this in Isaiah 1:9.

will lop off the boughs ... and Lebanon in his majesty will fall

Isaiah speaks of the army of Assyria as if it were the tall trees in Lebanon. God will destroy the army like people cutting down the mighty trees of Lebanon. This emphasizes that though the army is strong, God has the power to destroy it. (See: Metaphor)

will lop off the boughs

"will cut off the big branches of the trees." In order to make it clear that this refers to the army of Assyria, it can be translated as a simile: He will destroy the army of Assyria like strong men cutting off the big branches of trees. (See: Metaphor)

with a terrifying crash

This can be reworded so that the abstract noun "crash" is expressed as the verb "make a noise." AT: "and the branches will crash down on the ground and make a terrifying noise" or "and the branches will fall to the ground with a very loud noise" (See: Abstract Nouns)

the tallest trees will be cut down

This can be stated in active form. AT: "he will cut down the tallest trees" (See: Active or Passive)

the tallest trees

This is a metaphor for "the strongest soldiers." (See: Metaphor)

the lofty will be brought low

This can be stated in active form. AT: "he will bring down the lofty people" (See: Active or Passive)

lofty

proud

the thickets of the forest

"the dense shrubs in the forest." This is possibly a metaphor for those people who are not well known. (See: Metaphor)

Lebanon in his majesty will fall

"the forests of Lebanon will no longer be so grand." This is possibly a metaphor for the Assyrian army. AT: "Yahweh will defeat the army of Assyria, as mighty as it is" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

lord

Yahweh of hosts

ax

Lebanon

majesty

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Behold the Master on that night.

lops off the branches with a saw Shall lop off its branches, the root of the branches of his trees. ([Mss. read:] Uproots the branches of his trees.) ([Other mss. read:] Cuts off the branches of his trees.)

with a saw Heb. בְּמַעֲרָצָה, with a saw that cuts the boughs. This [word פֻּארָה] is not an expression denoting a winepress, for it is not spelled with a ‘vav,’ like (infra 63: 3) “A winepress (פּוּרָה) I trod,” and like (Haggai 2:16) “To draw off fifty measures from the winepress (פּוּרָה),” but with an ‘aleph,’ like (Ezekiel 31:5) “And its boughs became long (פֹּארֹתָיו).” מְסָעֵף is an expression of cutting off branches [esbranchier in O.F.], like (infra 27:10) “And he will destroy its branches (סְעִיפֶיהָ), and (infra 17:6) “On its branches (בִּסְעִיפֶיהָ) the fruitful one.”

with a saw Heb. בְּמַעֲרָצָה, with an implement of destruction, which breaks them.

and those of lofty height [This alludes to] the heroes.

are hewn down The expression of hewing is apropos only to trees and hard things.

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.

מסעף Shall cut off the branches (סעיפים). Comp. לא תפאר Thou shalt not take off the crown (פאר, Deut. 24:20); ושרשך And he will take away thy root (Ps. 52:7).

פארה Bough. Comp. פארות Branches (Ez. 17:6).

במערצה With strength. Comp. עריץ strong.

And the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, etc. The nobles shall be cut off.

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.