The Prophet and His Day: Isaiah 1-39 - Free Bible Commentary

10:28-32 H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Isaiah, vol. 1, p. 40, describes this stanza (strophe) as “TheStrategic Assyrian Advance That Almost Took Zion Described in Terms of Bulletin-from-the-Front.”Many geographical locations are mentioned and what was occurring at that location as the Assyrianmercenary army approached.} “Aiath” This is Ai close to Jericho. The places mentioned show the movement of the Assyrianstoward Jerusalem from the north.10:30 “Cry aloud. . .Pay attention” These are both IMPERATIVES.1. BDB 843, KB 1007, Qal IMPERATIVE2. BDB 904, KB 1151, Hiphil IMPERATIVEThis breaks the pattern of vv. 28-32. If this stanza is “reports from the front lines,” then v. 30 is acomment from the prophet, not an Assyrian messenger.}NASB “wretched Anathoth”NKJV “poor Anathoth”NRSV “Answer her, O Anathoth”TEV “Answer, people of Anathoth”NJB, REB “Anathoth will listen”Peshitta “Answer me, O Anathoth”This is from either1. the VERB “answer,” BDB 772, Qal IMPERATIVE2. an ADJECTIVE “poor,” BDB 776They both have the same consonants. UBS Hebrew Text Project gives #2 a “C” rating (considerabledoubt). It is surely possible that “poor” and “Anathoth” are a sound play (NASB Study Bible, p. 974).10:32 The second line of poetry expresses the Assyrian’s contempt for Judah’s God and His temple.NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 10:33-3433Behold, the Lord, the GOD of hosts, will lop off the boughs with a terrible crash;Those also who are tall in stature will be cut downAnd those who are lofty will be abased.34He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an iron axe,And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.10:33-34 Verses 33-34 are hard to define as to who is “lopped off.” It seems to be a literary link betweenvv. 16-19 and 11:1. Isaiah often used forestry imagery. Whoever compiled the scroll of Isaiah usedword plays and themes as a way to link together Isaiah’s recorded prophetic messages. We mustremember that the major truth of the literary unit and stanzas are more important than1. the details2. the exact historical setting of each literary building blockOur love for the Bible and desire to know more have caused us to treat the Bible in non-contextual, literalways, which destroy the literary nature of Scripture and especially prophecy!I think this is an elaboration of vv. 16-19. The imagery is the destruction of a forest, whichsymbolizes the Assyrian army and its leadership.136