9 His rock will pass away by reason of terror, and his princes will be afraid of the banner," says Yahweh, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
He shall pass to his stronghold for fear. [1] He now speaks of Sennacherib himself, who, trembling, shall betake himself in base and shameful flight to his "stronghold" or fortress, Nineveh, as to his nest. (2 Kings 19:36.) The Prophet adds that "his princes," or military officers, whose duty it is to encourage the rest of the soldiers, will be so timid that they shall not venture to join the ranks or await the battle, but shall "flee away from the standard." Saith Jehovah, who hath a fire in Zion. At length he declares that he is God's herald in making this proclamation, that the Jews may not, as they are accustomed to do, dispute or hesitate as to the accomplishment of it, or afterwards forget so great a blessing, and ascribe it to fortune. If we read, as some do, Whose fire is in Zion, the meaning will be, that God has abundance of fiery power to consume his enemies. But I think that the relative 'sr (ashEr) is redundant, or that it should be rendered in the nominative case, "Who shall be to him a fire;" for God is justly called "a fire," in reference to the Assyrians, whom he will consume. When the Prophet calls him "a fire," some consider it to refer to sacrifices; but such an interpretation appears to me to be feeble and unnatural. I have no doubt that he says either that "the Lord has a fire" to consume the Assyrian, or that "God himself is a fire," and that he thus makes an implied comparison of the Assyrian to straw or chaff. He says that this "fire" is kindled and kept alive "in Zion and Jerusalem," that is, in the midst of his people, in order to intimate that the persecution of the Church of God by wicked men shall not pass unpunished; for they shall one day feel that he is their Judge, and shall know by experience that he assists his people, who thought that they had been left without all assistance. In a word, against wicked men, who have maintained unceasing hostility against the Church, vengeance is prepared; and the Lord will not only avenge himself, but will also avenge his people. Let us therefore enjoy this consolation; and though it may appear as if we were defenceless and exposed to every danger, yet let us be fully convinced that the Lord will be "a fire" to our adversaries.
1 - "And he shall pass over to his stronghold (or, his strength) for fear, (Heb. his rock shall pass away for fear." -- Eng. Ver.
And he shall pass over - Margin, 'His rock shall pass away for fear.' The Hebrew would bear this, but it does not convey a clear idea. The sense seems to be this. The word rendered 'stronghold' (Hebrew, 'His rock') denotes his fortifications, or the places of strength in which he trusted. Probably the Assyrian monarch had many such places which he regarded as perfectly secure, both in the limits of his own kingdom, and on the line of his march toward Judea. Those places would naturally be made strong, in order to afford a refuge in case of a defeat. The idea here is, that so great would be his alarm at the sudden destruction of his army and the failure of his plans, that in his flight he would "pass over" or "beyond" these strong places; he would not even stop to take refuge there and reorganize his scattered forces, but would flee with alarm "beyond" them, and make his way to his own capital. This appears to have been most strikingly fulfilled (see Isaiah 37:37).
And his princes - Those, perhaps, that ruled over his dependent provinces.
Shall be afraid of the ensign - That is, of any standard or banner that they saw. They would suppose that it was the standard of an enemy. This denotes a state of great consternation, when all the princes and nobles under the command of the Assyrian would be completely dismayed.
Whose fire is in Zion - That is, whose altar is there, and always burns there. That was the place where he was worshipped, and it was a place, therefore, which he would defend. The meaning is, that they would be as certainly destroyed as the God whose altar was in Jerusalem was a God of truth, and would defend the place where he was worshipped.
And his furnace - (see the note at Isaiah 29:1). Where his altar continually burns. The word rendered 'furnace' (תנור tannûr) means properly a baking oven Exodus 8:3; Leviticus 2:4; Leviticus 7:9; Leviticus 11:35. This was either a large conical pot which was heated, in which the cakes were baked at the sides; or an excavation made in the earth which was heated by putting wood in it, and when that was removed, the dough was put in it. Perhaps the whole idea here is, that Yahweh had a home in Jerusalem, with the usual appendages of a house; that his fire and his oven were there, an expression descriptive of a dwelling-place. If so, then the meaning is, that he would defend his own home, and that the Assyrian could not expect to prevail against it.
And he shall pass over to his (i) strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, whose (k) fire [is] in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.
(i) This was accomplished soon after when Sennacherib's army was discomfited, and he fled to his castle in Nineveh for comfort.
(k) To destroy his enemies.
And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear,.... This is said of the king of Assyria, departing in haste from the siege of Jerusalem, to some strong hold in his own country, particularly his strong city Nineveh, for fear of the angel, and destruction following him; nor could he think himself safe, until he had got there. Some render it (and the original will bear it), "and his rock shall pass over for fear" (a); his mighty men, his men of valour, in whom he trusted, and put his confidence, who were his strength, on which he depended; these, as many as were left of them, fled away. So the Targum,
"his princes shall flee for fear;''
though these are expressed in the next clause:
and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign; any ensign or standard they saw, supposing it to be a detachment of the Jews in pursuit of them; or not daring afterwards to face any enemy with their banners displayed: or rather were terrified at the sight of the standard erected by the angel in the air, and at the slaughter of their companies under them in the camp:
saith the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem; who keeps house there, and therefore will defend it. Some, as Aben Ezra and others, think reference is had to the altar of the Lord, where the fire was kept continually burning, and sacrifices were offered up to him, and therefore being the place of his worship, he would take care of it; but rather it seems to denote the fire of God's wrath, to defend his people, and destroy his enemies, Zac 2:5. The Targum is,
"whose lustre is in Zion to them that do the law, and a burning furnace of fire to them that transgress his word.''
The Jews, in their Talmud (b), interpret the "fire" of hell, and the "furnace" of the gate of hell.
(a) "et rupes ejus prae pavoro transibit", Forerius. So Cocceius and Ben Melech; with which the version of Junius and Tremellius agrees. (b) T. Bab. Erubim, fol. 19. 1.
Rather, "shall pass beyond his strongholds"; he Shall not stop to take refuge in it through fear (Judges 20:47; Jeremiah 48:28) [GESENIUS].
ensign--the banner of Jehovah protecting the Jews [MAURER].
fire . . . furnace--"light" and "fire," namely, of Jehovah's altar at Jerusalem (Isaiah 29:1). Perhaps "furnace," as distinguished from "fire," may mean that His dwelling-place (His hearth) was at Jerusalem (compare Isaiah 4:5); or else the fiery furnace awaiting all the enemies who should attack Jerusalem.
The times of purity and happiness which shall follow the defeat of the enemies of Jehovah's people (Isaiah 32:1-8). The period of wrath before that happy state (Isaiah 32:9-14). The assurance of the final prosperity of the Church is repeated (Isaiah 32:15-20).
He - Sennacherib shall flee away, from Jerusalem, to his strong city of Nineveh. The ensign - Of the Lord's ensign, which he hath lifted up against them. Whose fire - Who is, and will appear to be in Zion, like a fire to defend his people, and to consume their enemies.
*More commentary available at chapter level.