32 This very day he will halt at Nob. He shakes his hand at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Yet a day. [1] Some interpret this, that the Assyrian will yet remain one day in Nob, which was a village contiguous to Jerusalem, as Jerome and others declare. But I rather agree with those who think that it means, that he will have a great part of the day before him when he halts there, in order to make preparations for besieging Jerusalem on the following day. He intends to describe the rapid march of the Assyrian, and how near Jerusalem was to utter destruction; as if he had said, that he had but a small part of the journey to perform, and that before the day was ended, he would arrive at that city. He shall shake the hand. This contributes still more to show their terror; for Sennacherib, having conquered the whole country, will threaten Jerusalem, as if he could storm it by the slightest expression of his will. Against the mountain of the daughter of Zion. By a figure of speech, in which a part is taken for the whole, (sunekdochikos,) he includes the whole city under the name of the mountain, because that part was higher, and commanded a view of the other quarters of the city. From this confidence of the tyrant, he shows that Jerusalem was not far from utter destruction; for the whole country, and even the city, was struck with such terror that none ventured to oppose him. By these details, therefore, the Prophet intended to give a more impressive view of the kindness of God, that it ought to be ascribed to the extraordinary favor and goodness of God, and not to human aid, of which there was none, that Jerusalem was preserved, as if a sheep had been rescued from the jaws of a lion. Behold, the Lord Jehovah of hosts. Almost all explain this passage as referring to the Assyrians. (2 Kings 19:35.) They think that the Prophet threatens against them that slaughter with which the Lord destroyed them, after that they had besieged Jerusalem. As if he had spoken in this manner: The Assyrian will indeed be elated with such pride, that as soon as he has seen Jerusalem, he will think that it is in his power. All being struck with such dismay at his approach, that some shall flee and others shall freely surrender themselves, he will imagine that all are subdued under him; but the Lord will quickly reverse his condition, and lop off those lofty branches But for my own part, when I examine closely the whole passage, and especially what he adds soon afterwards about Lebanon, and the consolation which immediately follows, I think that this passage ought to be referred to the Jews themselves. Isaiah therefore proceeds, in my opinion, to threaten the calamities which awaited the people. As if he had said, "Not only will he come to Nob, but he will spread devastation far and wide over the whole country. Everything in it that is excellent and lofty, he will completely waste and destroy, in the same manner as if one should cut off branches from a tree or cut down a tree from the root." This interpretation is confirmed by the following chapter, in which the Prophet offers consolation against that calamity; for the consolation agrees with this verse, and is added as an appropriate remedy for soothing grief. Nor do I attach any importance to the division of the chapter, which is often very absurd, and which perplexes the whole of the Prophet's meaning. I think, therefore, that we ought to connect that consolation with these verses, as if there had been no such division.
1 - "Yet this day. One day longer shall the Assyrian be permitted to remain in the vicinity of Jerusalem, and to affright the daughter of Zion." -- Stock.
As yet shall he remain - This is still a description of his advancing toward Jerusalem. He would make a station at Nob and remain there a day, meaning, perhaps, "only" one day, such would be his impatience to attack and destroy Jerusalem.
At Nob - Nob was a city of Benjamin, inhabited by priests; Nehemiah 11:32. When David was driven away by Saul, he came to this city, and received supplies from Ahimelech the priest; 1-Samuel 21:1-6. Nob must have been situated somewhere upon the ridge of the mount of Olives, to the northeast of the city. So Jerome, professedly from Hebrew tradition, says, 'Stans in oppidulo Nob et procul urbem conspiciens Jerusalem.' - "Commentary in loc." Messrs. Robinson and Smith sought all along the ridge of the mount of Olives, from the Damascus road to the summit opposite to the city, for some traces of an ancient site which might be regarded as the place of Nob; but without the slightest success. - "Bib. Researches," ii. p. 150.
He shall shake his hand - That is, in the attitude of menace, or threatening. This language implies, that the city of Nob was so near to Jerusalem that the latter city could be seen from it; and the description denotes, that at the sight of Jerusalem Sennacherib would be full of indignation, and utter against it the threat of speedy and complete ruin.
The mount of the daughter of Zion - See the note at Isaiah 1:8. The Chaldee renders this, 'He shall come, and stand in Nob, the city of the priests, over against the wall of Jerusalem, and shall answer and say to his army, "Is not this that city of Jerusalem against which I have assembled all my armies, and on account of which I have made an exaction on all my provinces? And lo, it is less and more feeble than any of the defenses of the people which I have subjected in the strength of my hand." Over against that he shall stand, and shake his head, and shall bring his hand against the mount of the sanctuary which is Zion, and against the court which is in Jerusalem.' Jarchi and Kimchi say, that Nob was so near to Jerusalem that it could be seen from thence; and hence, this is mentioned as the last station of the army of the Assyrian, the end of his march, and where the prize seemed to be within his grasp.
As yet shall he remain at Nob that day,.... The same day he came from Gebim; and proceed no further as yet, but make a short stay, and prepare himself and army to march to Jerusalem the next day: the Jews say (l), that he performed all his journeys in one day; the same day he came to Ajath he came to Nob, where he stayed the remaining part of the day. Nob was a city of the priests, 1-Samuel 22:19 and so it is called in the Targum here; it was so near Jerusalem, that, as Jarchi and Kimchi say, it might be seen from hence; wherefore here he stood, in sight of Jerusalem; against the wall of it, the Targum says; and did as follows:
he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem; threatening what he would do to it, and despising it as unable to hold out against him; or the sense is this, yet a day, or in a day's time, from the last place where he was; he shall come to Nob, and there shall he stop, and go no further: or, "the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem, shall shake its hand"; bidding him defiance, insulting over him, or rejoicing at the fall of the Assyrian army. Wherefore it follows:
(l) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 95. 1.
that day--literally, "As yet this (one only) day (is allowed to the soldiers) for remaining (halting for rest) at Nob"; northeast of Jerusalem on Olivet; a town of the priests (Nehemiah 11:32).
daughter--rightly substituted for the Chetib reading, house. His "shaking his hand" in menace implies that he is now at Nob, within sight of Jerusalem.
Shake - By way of comminution.
*More commentary available at chapter level.