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

24:18NASB“the report of disaster”NKJV, Peshitta “the noise of fear”NRSV“the sound of the terror”NJB“the cry of fear”LXX“the fear”REB“the rattle of the scare”The MT has “at the sound of the terror” (BDB 876 CONSTRUCT BDB 808). This is an allusion to(1) the sound of battle (cf. Isa. 29:6; Jer. 4:19,21; Ezek. 1:24), (2) the voice of God (cf. 30:30-31), or (3)a covenant concept (cf. Jer. 3:13,25; 7:23; 11:4,7; 26:13; 38:20).} “fall into a pit. . .caught in a snare” These are allusions to humans being trapped like animals (cf.8:15; 28:13). Humans will try to flee God’s judgment only to find disaster (cf. 2:10,19-22).24:18c “the windows above are opened” This is another allusion to the flood account of Genesis (cf.7:11; 8:2). The opening of the windows of heaven can be for blessing (i.e., water for agriculture andflocks, cf. II Kgs. 7:2,19; Mal. 3:10) or judgment (i.e., sending of too much water, cf. Gen. 7:11; 8:2;Isa. 24:18, or no water).24:19 Note the parallelism from the INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and matching VERB.1. broken asunder, BDB 949, KB 1270, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and Hithpoel PERFECT2. split through, BDB 830, KB 975, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and Hithpoel PERFECT3. shaken violently, BDB 556, KB 555, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and Hithpoel PERFECTThis same intensified form (i.e., INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and VERB from the same root) continues inv. 20, BDB 631, KB 681, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and Qal IMPERFECT.The earth, created for God and humanity to meet and fellowship, created for abundance and life,has become ruin and will be destroyed1. by water, Genesis 6-92. by the spoken word, Isa. 24:33. by apocalyptic imagery, Jer. 4:23-284. by fire, II Pet. 3:10-1124:20 Drunkenness (i.e., staggering, BDB 631, KB 681, INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and IMPERFECT VERB ofthe same root) is often used as a symbol for judgment in the OT (cf. Isa. 19:14; 28:7,8; 29:9).} “And it totters like a shack” This is another cultural allusion to a small booth (BDB 434) which wasbuilt in the field during harvest time for someone to live so he could protect the harvest (cf. 1:8). Verses19-20 describe the sin-laden physical creation (cf. Rom. 8:18-22).} “never to rise again” This is a hyperbolic statement to show the intensity of God’s judgment on amorally polluted earth. But from other texts, we know He will have mercy on it and restore it! For theuse of hyperbolic language in both prophecy and apocalyptic literature see D. Brent Sandy, Plowsharesand Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptic.24:21 “in that day” See note at 2:11. This eschatological theme marker is repeated in 25:9; 26:1,2,12.} “the host of heaven” Many times in the OT this refers to the Babylonian astral deities (cf. 40:26;45:12). However, in this context it refers to the OT concept of the angels of the nations (cf. Deut. 32:8in the LXX and Daniel 10). God will judge both the human beings who rebel against Him and also the242