Isaiah 33:8

Isa 33:8 The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.

Ver. 8. The highways lie waste.] And byways are more frequented, through fear of the enemy.

He hath broken the covenant.] Irritum factum est pactum. He took the money sent him, but comes on nevertheless, though he had sworn the contrary. {2Ki 18:14; 2Ki 18:17} It is said of the Turks at this day, that they keep their leagues - which serve, indeed, but as snares to entangle other princes in - no longer than standeth with their own profit. {a} Their maxim is, There is no faith to be kept with dogs, whereby they mean Christians, as the Papists also say, There is no faith to be kept with heretics, whereby they mean Protestants. But why kept not Uladislaus, King of Hungary, his faith better with Amurath, the great Turk? or our Henry III with his barons, by Papal dispensation? Vah scelus! vae periuris.

He hath despised the cities.] And will not take them for his subjects. He scorneth the motion.

He regardeth no man.] He vilipends and slights all jewels generally.

{a} Turkish History, 755.

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.

These are the words of the ambassadors, when they returned from Sennacherib.

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

broken . . . covenant--When Sennacherib invaded Judea, Hezekiah paid him a large sum to leave the land; Sennacherib received the money and yet sent his army against Jerusalem (Kg2 18:14, Kg2 18:17).

despised--make slight of as unable to resist him (Isa 10:9; Isa 36:19); easily captures them.

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

(8) The highways lie waste . . .—Another feature in the picture of terror. No traveller dared to show himself in the main road. (Comp. Jdg_5:6.)

He hath broken.—Sennacherib is denounced as having broken the treaty of 2Ki_18:14. Hezekiah had complied with his conditions, and yet there was no suspension of hostilities.

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

8. The highways lie waste … ceaseth] cf. Jdg_5:6.

he hath broken the covenant] See on Isa_33:7.

he hath despised the cities] For ‘ârîm (cities) Duhm proposes to read ‘çdîm (witnesses), i.e. the witnesses to the broken treaty. There might no doubt be an allusion to the capture of the fenced cities of Judah, 2Ki_18:13.

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.

The highways lie waste,.... No man walking in them, for fear of the enemy; "the ways of Zion", which are said to "mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts", Lam 1:4 none daring to attend the ministry of the word and ordinances; see Isa 35:8,

the wayfaring man ceaseth; or, "the traveller rests" (z); or stops; he does not proceed on his journey; a stop is put to a religious course and conversation; there is an entire cessation of religious worship; a sabbath is kept, but not a religious one; he that would walk in Zion's ways is forbid, and is obliged to sit still:

he hath broken the covenant; some, as Kimchi's father, interpret this of the Jews' complaining that God had broken his covenant with them, as in Psa 89:39 but most of Sennacherib's breaking his covenant with Hezekiah, Kg2 18:14 rather this is to be understood of antichrist, whose doctrine is, that faith is not to be kept with heretics, and which will abundantly appear at this distressing time:

he hath despised the cities; as Sennacherib did the fenced cities of Judah; he despised their fortifications, and easily took them, and treated the inhabitants with disdain and contempt; and so will the reformed Protestant cities and countries be invaded, seized upon, and insulted, by the Romish antichrist:

he regardeth no man; so as to keep covenant with them, have compassion on them, and spare them, he fearing neither God nor man.

(z) "cessaverat viator", Junius & Tremellius; "desiit viator", Cocceius.

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

The highways lie waste - This verse contains a description of the desolations that had been caused by the invasion of Sennacherib. Some have understood it as containing the account which the ambassadors sent by Hezekiah gave of the effects of the invasion. Thus Grotius interprets it. But it is probably a description made by the prophet himself, and is designed to state one cause why the messengers that had been sent out wept bitterly. They had not only failed of inducing Sennacherib to abandon his purpose of attacking Jerusalem, but they had witnessed the effects of his invasion already. The public ways were desolate. In the consternation and alarm that was produced by his approach, the roads that had been usually thronged were now solitary and still. A mournful desolation already prevailed, and they apprehended still greater calamities, and hence, they wept.

The wayfaring man ceaseth - Hebrew, ‘He that passes along the road ceases.’ That is, there is a cessation of travel. No one is seen passing along the streets that used to be thronged.

He hath broken the covenant - This may either mean that the Assyrian king had violated the compact which had been made with him by Ahaz, by which he was to come and aid Jerusalem against the allied armies of Syria and Samaria (see the notes at Isa. 7), or it may mean that he had violated an implied compact with Hezekiah. When Judea was threatened with an invasion by Sennacherib, Hezekiah had sent to him when he was at Lachish, and had sought for peace 2Ki 18:14. In that embassy Hezekiah said, ‘I have offended, return from me; that which thou puttest on me I will bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.’ To pay this, Hezekiah exhausted his treasury, and even stripped the temple of its golden ornaments 2Ki 18:15-16. A compact was thus made by which it was understood that Sennacherib was to withdraw his army, and depart from the land. But notwithstanding this, he still persisted in his purpose, and immediately despatched a part of his army to lay siege to Jerusalem. All the treaties, therefore, had been violated. He had disregarded that which was made with Ahaz, and that which he had now himself made with Hezekiah, and was advancing in violation of all to lay siege to the city.

He hath despised the cities - That is, he disregards their defenses, and their strength; he invades and takes all that comes in his way. He speaks of them with contempt and scorn as being unable to stand before him, or to resist his march. See his vain and confident boasting in Isa 10:9; Isa 36:19.

He regardeth no man - He spares no one, and he observes no compact with any man.

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

Void, though Sennacherib had received what he demanded, 4 Kings xviii. 14.

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 highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth, because the Assyrian soldiers possessed and filled the land.

He hath broken the covenant; Sennacherib broke his faith, given to Hezekiah, of departing for a sum of money, 2Ki 18:14,17.

He hath despised the cities; the defenced cities of Judah, which he contemned and easily took, 2Ki 18:13.

He regardeth no man; either to spare them, or to fear them, or to keep faith with them. He neither feareth God, nor reverenceth man.

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

8, 9. The highways lie waste — In disregard of his covenant the enemy still would ravage the country, render impassable the usual highways, cut off travel, break up villages and cities, and show mercy to none. Such treachery called for the world’s detestation and Heaven’s speediest retribution; this is a sense in which the earth, or the land, mourneth; in which Lebanon, noble in its cedars and towering heights, blushes in very shame; in which Sharon, the Shephala, or flowery plain on the sea, wilts to desolation; in which the east Jordanic Bashan, with its rich pastures and oaks, and

Carmel — the synonyme for greatest fertility — forget their rightful glory and hide away through mortification at such stupendous treachery.

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

The highways lie waste. (comp. Jud_1:5:6) The meaning is that" they were unoccupied. Fear of the Assyrians restrained men from travelling. He hath broken the covenant. Sennacherib, when he accepted the sum of money sent him by Hezekiah, (2Ki_18:15; "Eponym Canon," p. 135) must have consented to leave him unmolested for the future. But in a very short time we find him, apparently without any reasonable pretext, sending a fresh expedition against Jerusalem, requiring it to be admitted within the walls, and even threatening the city with destruction. (2Ki_18:17-35 2Ki_19:10-13) Isaiah, therefore, taxes him with having broken his covenant. Despised cities. "Sennacherib," says Delitzsch, "continued to storm the fortified places of Judah, in violation of his agreement." Regardeth no man; i.e. "pays no attention to the protests that are made against his infraction of the treaty does not care what is said or thought of him."

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

The covenant - Sennacherib broke his faith, given to Hezekiah, of departing for a sum of money, 2 Kings xviii, 14, 17. Cities - The defensed cities of Judah, which he contemned, and easily took.

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

“The highways are wasted, the wayfarer ceaseth; he breaks the covenant, despises cities, values no man.” These are the words of the Prophet himself. The scene presented is that of the actual condition of Judea during the Assyrian invasion. (Compare Jdg 5:6). The verbs of the last clause agree with Sennacherib or the Assyrian. The meaning is that he despised the defenses of the conquered country, as unable to resist him. The last words may either mean that he has no regard to any man’s interest or wishes, or that he does not value human life.

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

he has abrogated the treaty The enemy has abrogated the treaty he made with Israel.

despised cities He despised in his eyes; no enemy considers any man.

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 highways lie waste. For the king of Assyria will not be faithful to his treaties with other nations.

He regardeth no man. He does not esteem any person to be worth anything in comparison with himself.

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.