Isaiah 32:14

Isa 32:14 Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;

Ver. 14. The multitude of the city shall be left.] For the city shall be left of its multitude.

The forts and towers.] Heb, Ophel and Bachan. The Hebrews tell us that these were two high towers in Jerusalem; now they were to be dismantled and lie waste.

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.

32:14 Jerusalem was eventually destroyed, but by the Babylonians, not the Assyrians (for a prediction of this, see 39:1-8).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, multitude.

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

palaces--most applicable to Jerusalem (see on Isa 32:13).

multitude . . . left--the noisy din of the city, that is, the city with its noisy multitude shall lie forsaken [MAURER].

forts--rather, "Ophel" (that is, the mound), the term applied specially to the declivity on the east of Zion, surrounded with its own wall (Ch2 27:3; Ch2 33:14; Kg2 5:24), and furnished with "towers" (or watchtowers), perhaps referred to here (Neh 3:26-27).

for ever--limited by thee, "until," &c., Isa 32:15, for a long time.

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 14. The palaces shall be forsaken] The house of the sanctuary (the temple) shall be destroyed. - Targum.

The forts - "Ophel"] It was a part of Mount Zion, rising higher than the rest, at the eastern extremity, near to the temple, a little to the south of it; called by Micah, Mic 4:8, "Ophel of the daughter of Zion." It was naturally strong by its situation; and had a wall of its own, by which it was separated from the rest of Zion.

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

(14) The palaces shall be forsaken.—With a bold pencil and rapid strokes the picture of desolation is sketched in outline. The forts are those of Ophel (so in Heb.), the fortified south-eastern slope of the Temple mountain; the towers, probably such as “the tower of the flock,” mentioned in conjunction with Ophel in Mic_4:8. These would serve as dens for the wild asses, which commonly roved in the open country.

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

14. Render: For the palace is forsaken, the tumult of the city is a solitude (as in ch. Isa_6:12), &c. The tenses are prophetic perfects.

the forts and towers] Better as in R.V.: the hill and the watch tower. The first word is ‘Ophel, the name of the southern projection of the hill on which the temple stood (Neh_3:26 f., Neh_11:21; 2Ch_27:3; 2Ch_33:14), and is doubtless mentioned as the aristocratic quarter of the city, near the royal palace. The word translated “watch tower” occurs nowhere else, and is of uncertain significance; probably, like Ophel, it denotes a particular locality in the capital.

The phrase for ever must be understood in a relative sense, being restricted by the “until” of Isa_32:15.

The verse contains an absolute and explicit prediction of the complete overthrow of Jerusalem. Dillmann’s assertion that such an expectation must have been expressed in different language is inexplicable, and his distinction between destruction and desolation is sophistical. Surprising as this idea may be alongside of certain passages in this section of the book, it is not to be explained away, and after all it does not go very much beyond what is said in ch. Isa_29:4. For a complete parallel, however, we must go back to the early prophecy of ch. Isa_5:14; Isa_5:17.

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.

Because the palaces shall be forsaken,.... The palaces of the princes and nobles shall be forsaken by them, they being obliged to flee from the enemy, or being taken, and either slain, or carried captive. The word in the Hebrew is in the singular number, "the palace", meaning the royal palace; and so Aben Ezra and Jarchi interpret it of the king's palace; though the Targum paraphrases it the house of the sanctuary, or the temple, so Kimchi; which was left desolate, as Christ foretold it should be, Mat 23:38,

the multitude of the city shall be left; to take care of themselves, and to the fury of their enemies, their princes and nobles being killed or fled; or, "the city shall be left of the multitude" (p); the multitude of inhabitants that were in it shall forsake it, and flee, or be destroyed in it, so that few or none shall remain:

the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever; Ophel and Bachan, which some take to be the names of two towers of Jerusalem; of Ophel we read in Ch2 27:3 but rather these intend in general the high towers and strong fortifications of Jerusalem, which being cut out of rocks, when demolished served for dens for thieves and robbers, and wild creatures; and this being "for ever", that is, for a very long time, shows that it cannot be applied to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, and the seventy years' captivity; but it is to be understood of the last destruction, which continues unto this day:

a joy of wild asses; which delight in wild and desert places; see Job 39:5.

a pasture of flocks; where flocks of sheep feed, instead of being inhabited by men. Jarchi's note is pretty remarkable,

"for the desire, or at the will, of the Ishmaelites, and for the feeding of the Grecians, and their army;''

and certain it is that Jerusalem now is in the hands of the Ishmaelites, or Turks. The Targum is,

"the place which was a house of joy and gladness for kings is now become a spoil for armies.''

(p) So Gataker.

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

Because the palaces shall be forsaken - That is, the palaces in the cities and towns which Sennacherib would lay waste. Or, if it refers, as Lowth supposes, to the invasion of the land in the time of the Chaldeans, then it relates to the palaces in Jerusalem. Vitringa supposes that the temple at Jerusalem is particularly designated by the word rendered palaces. But that is not the usual word to denote the temlple, and it is not necessary to suppose that that is particularly referred to. The word ארמון 'armôn usually denotes a palace, or royal residence in some part of the royal citadel (see 1Ki 16:18; Isa 25:2; Jer 30:18; Amo 1:4, Amo 1:7, Amo 1:10, Amo 1:12).

The forts - Margin, ‘Cliffs and watch-towers.’ Hebrew, עפל ‛opel. This word properly denotes a hill or a cliff, such as is an advantageous situation for fortresses. It is translated in Mic 4:8, ‘the stronghold;’ in 2Ki 5:24, ‘the tower;’ in 2Ch 27:3; 2Ch 30:14; Neh 3:27; Neh 11:21, ‘Ophel.’ With the article (the hill) it was given, by way of eminence, to a bluff or hilt lying northeast of mount Zion, and south of mount Moriah, which was surrounded and fortified with a wall (Jos. Jewish Wars, vi. 6). It extends south from mount Moriah, running down to the fountain of Siloam, lying between the valley of Jehoshaphat on the east, and the Tyropeon or valley of Cheesemongers on the west. It terminates over the pool of Siloam in a steep point of rock forty or fifty feet high. The top of the ridge is flat, and the ground is now tilled, and planted with olive and other fruit trees (see Robinson’s Bib. Researches, vol. i. pp. 341, 394). It may be used here, however, to denote a hill or cliff, a strongly-fortified place in general, without supposing of necessity that it refers to the mountain in Jerusalem.

Towers - Towers were erected on the walls of cities at convenient distances for purposes of observation.

Shall be for dens - Shall become places where banditti and robbers may abide, and secure themselves.

Forever - This is evidently one instance in which the word ‘forever’ (עד־עולם ‛ad-‛ôlâm), denotes a long time, because in the verse When the word is used without any suet limitation, it denotes proper eternity

A joy of wild asses - A place where wild animals will have unlimited range.

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

Ever. Some palaces had been demolished by Sennacherib, though this seems to refer to the Babylonian captivity.

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 palaces, Heb. the palace; the king’s house, and other magnificent buildings in the city.

Shall be left; or rather, shall be forsaken, to wit, of God, and given up into their enemies’ hands. And the verb in the foregoing clause may be rendered, shall be left.

A joy of wild asses; desolate places, in which wild asses delight to be, Job 39:5,6; Jer 2:24.

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

The palaces shall be forsaken; literally, the palace; but the word is used in a generic sense. The prophet sees in vision Jerusalem deserted by her inhabitants, the grand houses of the rich empty, the strongholds haunted by wild beasts, and the slopes of the hills fed on by sheep, and even occasionally visited by the timid and solitude-loving wild ass. The description suits well the time of the Babylonian captivity, but not any earlier period. Probably it was not revealed to the prophet how soon the condition would be reached. The multitude of the city shall be left. The real meaning is, as Bishop Lowth expresses it, "The populous city shall be left desolate." But the whole passage is. as Delitzsch observes, "grammatically strange, the language becoming more complicated, disjointed, and difficult, the greater the wrath and indignation of the poet." The forts and towers; rather, hill and tower, with (perhaps) a special reference to the part of Jerusalem called Ophel, (2Ch_27:3 Neh_3:26, etc.) the long projecting spur from the eastern hill, which points a little west of south, and separates the Kedron valley from the Tyropoeon. Shall be for dens; literally, for caves; but dens for wild beasts seem to be meant. (comp. Isa_13:21 Isa_34:14 Jer_1:3-9) For ever. This expression must not be pressed. Hyperbole is a recognized feature of poetry written under strong excitement. A joy of wild asses. The wild ass is not now found nearer Palestine than Mesopotamia, or perhaps Northern Syria. It is exceedingly shy, and never approaches the habitations of men.

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

Forsaken - Of God, and given up into their enemies hands. A joy - Desolate places, in which wild asses delight to be.

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

“For the palace is forsaken, the crowd of the city (or the crowded city) left, hill and watch-tower (are) for caves (or dens) forever, a joy (or favorite resort) of wild asses, a pasture of flocks.” The use of the word ‘palace’, and that in the singular number, clearly shows that the destruction of Jerusalem itself is here predicted. The Hebrew word in this verse originally meaning a hill is applied as a proper name (Ophel) to the southern extremity of Mount Moriah, overhanging the spot where the valleys of Jehoshaphat and Hinnom meet. "The top of the ridge is flat, descending rapidly towards the south, sometimes by offsets of rock; the ground is tilled and planted with olive and other fruit-trees." (Robinson’s Palestine, I p. 394.)

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

General Information:

Isaiah continues speaking.

For the palace will be forsaken, the crowded city will be deserted

This can be stated in active form. AT: "For the people will forsake the palace and the crowds will abandon the city" (See: Active or Passive)

the hill

This refers to the fort built on the top of the hill. AT: "the fort on the hill" (See: Metonymy)

the hill and the watchtower will become caves

This speaks of the fort and the watchtower being abandoned as if they became caves. AT: "the hill and the watchtower will become abandoned and empty" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks

This means the these animals will enjoy the grass that grows among the abandon fort and watchtower. AT: "the wild donkeys and the flocks of sheep will eat the grass there" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

forever

This is an exaggeration for a very long time. AT: "an extremely long time" (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)

until the Spirit is poured

This can be stated in active form. AT: "until Yahweh pours the Spirit" (See: Active or Passive)

the Spirit is poured on us

This speaks of Yahweh giving him Spirit to his people as if his Spirit were a liquid that he would pour on them. AT: "the Spirit is given to us" (See: Metaphor)

from on high

Here heaven is referred to as "on high." AT: "from heaven" (See: Metonymy)

the fruitful field is considered as a forest

This can be written in active form. This compares how overly bountiful the fruitful fields are by comparing them to a thick, dense forest. AT: "people will say that the fruitful fields have grown thick like a forest" or "the fruitful fields will be overly bountiful" (See: Active or Passive and Simile)

translationWords

forsake

watchtower

eternity

donkey

flocks

Holy Spirit

desert

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

For the palace The king’s palace has been forsaken.

the multitude of the city has been exiled.

rampart and tower My Temple, which was a fortification for them.

are amidst ruins (הָיָה בְּעַד מְעָרוֹת), shall be amidst ruins. מְעָרוֹת is an expression similar to (Psalms 137:7) “Raze it, raze it (עָרוּ עָרוּ).” בְּעַד is like “(Job 22:13) Can He judge through (הַבְעַד) a thick cloud?”

forever Until the time of the end.

a joy for wild donkeys For the lust of Ishmael and his hosts.

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.

The palace of the king. נטש, shall be forsaken; עזב, shall be left. Pual.

עופל An elevated place. Comp. ויעפילו and they ascended.

ובחן And tower. Comp. בחוניו his towers. (23:13). היו מערות═ היה בעד מערות shall become dens.

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.