8 And he cried, H7121 A lion: H738 My lord, H136 I stand H5975 continually H8548 upon the watchtower H4707 in the daytime, H3119 and I am set H5324 in my ward H4931 whole nights: H3915
I will stand H5975 upon my watch, H4931 and set H3320 me upon the tower, H4692 and will watch H6822 to see H7200 what he will say H1696 unto me, and what I shall answer H7725 when I am reproved. H8433 And the LORD H3068 answered H6030 me, and said, H559 Write H3789 the vision, H2377 and make it plain H874 upon tables, H3871 that he may run H7323 that readeth H7121 it.
When I remember H2142 thee upon my bed, H3326 and meditate H1897 on thee in the night watches. H821
Their roaring H7581 shall be like a lion, H3833 they shall roar H7580 H7580 like young lions: H3715 yea, they shall roar, H5098 and lay hold H270 of the prey, H2964 and shall carry it away safe, H6403 and none shall deliver H5337 it.
The lion H738 is come up H5927 from his thicket, H5441 and the destroyer H7843 of the Gentiles H1471 is on his way; H5265 he is gone forth H3318 from his place H4725 to make H7760 thy land H776 desolate; H8047 and thy cities H5892 shall be laid waste, H5327 without an inhabitant. H3427
He hath forsaken H5800 his covert, H5520 as the lion: H3715 for their land H776 is desolate H8047 because H6440 of the fierceness H2740 of the oppressor, H3238 and because H6440 of his fierce H2740 anger. H639
Behold, he shall come up H5927 like a lion H738 from the swelling H1347 of Jordan H3383 against the habitation H5116 of the strong: H386 but I will suddenly H7280 make him run away H7323 from her: and who is a chosen H977 man, that I may appoint H6485 over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? H3259 and who is that shepherd H7462 that will stand H5975 before H6440 me?
Behold, he shall come up H5927 like a lion H738 from the swelling H1347 of Jordan H3383 unto the habitation H5116 of the strong: H386 but I will make H7323 them suddenly H7280 run away H7323 H7323 from her: and who is a chosen H977 man, that I may appoint H6485 over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? H3259 and who is that shepherd H7462 that will stand H5975 before H6440 me?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Isaiah 21
Commentary on Isaiah 21 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 21
In this chapter we have a prophecy of sad times coming, and heavy burdens,
These and other nations which the princes and people of Israel had so much to do with the prophets of Israel could not but have something to say to. Foreign affairs must be taken notice of as well as domestic ones, and news from abroad enquired after as well as news at home.
Isa 21:1-10
We had one burden of Babylon before (ch. 13); here we have another prediction of its fall. God saw fit thus to possess his people with the belief of this event by line upon line, because Babylon sometimes pretended to be a friend to them (as ch. 39:1), and God would hereby warn them not to trust to that friendship, and sometimes was really an enemy to them, and God would hereby warn them not to be afraid of that enmity. Babylon is marked for ruin; and all that believe God's prophets can, through that glass, see it tottering, see it tumbling, even when with an eye of sense they see it flourishing and sitting as a queen. Babylon is here called the desert or plain of the sea; for it was a flat country, and full of lakes, or loughs (as they call them in Ireland), like little seas, and was abundantly watered with the many streams of the river Euphrates. Babylon did but lately begin to be famous, Nineveh having outshone it while the monarchy was in the Assyrian hands; but in a little time it became the lady of kingdoms; and, before it arrived at that pitch of eminency which it was at in Nebuchadnezzar's time, God by this prophet plainly foretold its fall, again and again, that his people might not be terrified at its rise, nor despair of relief in due time when they were its prisoners, Job 5:3; Ps. 37:35, 36. Some think it is here called a desert because, though it was now a populous city, it should in time be made a desert. And therefore the destruction of Babylon is so often prophesied of by this evangelical prophet, because it was typical of the destruction of the man of sin, the great enemy of the New-Testament church, which is foretold in the Revelation in many expressions borrowed from these prophecies, which therefore must be consulted and collated by those who would understand the prophecy of that book. Here is,
Isa 21:11-12
This prophecy concerning Dumah is very short, and withal dark and hard to be understood. Some think that Dumah is a part of Arabia, and that the inhabitants descended from Dumah the sixth son of Ishmael, as those of Kedar (v. 16, 17) from Ishmael's second son, Gen. 25:13, 14. Others, because Mount Seir is here mentioned, by Dumah understand Idumea, the country of the Edomites. Some of Israel's neighbours are certainly meant, and their distress is foretold, not only for warning to them to prepare them for it, but for warning to Israel not to depend upon them, or any of the nations about them, for relief in a time of danger, but upon God only. We must see all creature confidences failing us, and feel them breaking under us, that we may not lay more weight upon them than they will bear. But though the explication of this prophecy be difficult, because we have no history in which we find the accomplishment of it, yet the application will be easy. We have here,
Isa 21:13-17
Arabia was a large country, that lay eastward and southward of the land of Canaan. Much of it was possessed by the posterity of Abraham. The Dedanim, here mentioned (v. 13), descended from Dedan, Abraham's son by Keturah; the inhabitants of Tema and Kedar descended from Ishmael, Gen. 25:3, 13, 15. The Arabians generally lived in tents, and kept cattle, were a hardy people, inured to labour; probably the Jews depended upon them as a sort of a wall between them and the more warlike eastern nations; and therefore, to alarm them, they shall hear the burden of Arabia, and see it sinking under its own burden.