Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Isaiah 25:2

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Isaiah 25:2. A city - "The city"] Nineveh, Babylon, Ar, Moab, or any other strong fortress possessed by the enemies of the people of God.

For the first מעיר meir, of a city, the Syriac and Vulgate read העיר hair, the city; the Septuagint and Chaldee read ערים arim, cities, in the plural, transposing the letters. After the second מעיר meir, a MS. adds לגל lagol, for a heap.

A palace of strangers - "The palace of the proud ones"] For זרים zarim, strangers, MS. Bodl. and another read זדים zedim, the proud: so likewise the Septuagint; for they render it ασεβων here, and in Isaiah 25:5, as they do in some other places: see Deuteronomy 18:20; Deuteronomy 18:22. Another MS. reads צרים tsarim, adversaries; which also makes a good sense. But זרים zarim, strangers, and זדים zedim, the proud, are often confounded by the great similitude of the letters ד daleth and ר resh. See Malachi 3:15; Malachi 4:1; Psalms 19:14, in the Septuagint; and Psalms 54:5, where the Chaldee reads זדים zedim, compared with Psalms 86:16.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

24:1-27:13 FINAL JUDGMENT AND SALVATION

The judgment of various contemporary nations leads the prophet to consider God’s final great judgment on the world. Naturally, his illustrations are taken from the world that he knew, and the nations he mentions are those of his time, but the principles of judgment and salvation that he presents are those of the unchangeable God. They will find their fullest expression in God’s mighty triumph at the end of the world’s history.

Some will mourn, others rejoice (24:1-25:12)

When God judges sinners, he will make no distinctions on the basis of status or class. All who have rebelled against God and ignored his law will be punished (24:1-5). There will be few survivors (6). In a world where people previously lived mainly to enjoy themselves, the most noticeable feature will be an absence of joy and merriment (7-11). The only ones spared in the widespread judgment will be the few who have remained faithful to God. These are compared to the odd grapes left here and there after harvest (12-13).
This remnant then praises God for his salvation. The prophet finds it difficult to share their joyous feelings, for he thinks of the sinful people around him and foresees their terrible punishment (14-16). There will be no way of escape when that day of judgment comes. The world will stagger and fall under the weight of its sins (17-20).
High rank will not save those who have rebelled against God. The rulers of nations will be thrown together like prisoners locked in a crowded dungeon as they await their final punishment (21-22). After all the sinners are removed, God will reign in glory so dazzling that even the sun and moon will appear dark by comparison (23).
At this reminder of the final triumph and glory of God, the prophet breaks forth in a song of praise to him whose victory has been planned from the beginning. When people see God destroy the things they have proudly built, they will turn and praise him (25:1-3). He will give relief to those who are oppressed and will silence the boastful oppressors (4-5).
God will celebrate his victory with a great feast, and introduce an era of joy where all signs of mourning are removed and the possibility of death is gone for ever (6-8). God’s people rejoice in his salvation (9), but his enemies suffer humiliating destruction. Their boasting cannot save them, and all their clever achievements finish in ruin (10-12).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE SONG

"O Jehovah, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things, even counsels of old in faithfulness and truth. For thou hast made of a city a heap, of a fortified city a ruin, a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built. Therefore shall a strong people glorify thee; a city of terrible nations shall fear thee. For thou hast been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. As the heat in a dry place wilt thou bring down the noise of strangers; as the heat by the shade of a cloud, the song of the terrible ones shall be brought low."

Peake has a perfect summary of these verses:

"The deliverance still lies in the future; the song is written from the standpoint of the redeemed community, and expresses its exultation over its salvation. God has overthrown the city; its inhabitants shall stand in awe of him. He has been a shelter to his distressed people when the blast of the violent has beaten on them like a winter storm. He has assuaged the oppression of the enemy, as the sun's scorching heat in a parched land is ameliorated by clouds."Peake's Commentary Series, p. 453.

Rawlinson believed that the exultation expressed was made by Isaiah in his own person, and "not in the person of the Church,"The Pulpit Commentary, p. 399. but we believe Peake's view is preferable.

"Counsels of old" "The wonders for which God is praised were decreed in his counsels from all eternity; their accomplishment shows forth God's `faithfulness and truth.'"Ibid. Paul stressed this fact repeatedly. God's counsels were made "before the worlds" (1 Corinthians 2:8); they were "kept in silence through times eternal" (Romans 16:25); the mystery of salvation was hidden "for ages and generations" (Colossians 1:26), etc.

Isaiah 25:2 mentions "a city"; but this is not any particular city. The great cities that existed in Isaiah's day were Thebes (Egypt), Babylon, and Nineveh all three of which were destroyed within about a century after Isaiah's times; but no definite city is identified here. For ages, it has been understood that there is a connection here with "Mystery Babylon the Great" (Revelation 18), standing in the scripture as a symbol of the greedy and sinful cities of the world in all ages. A Methodist scholar, E. Stanley Jones, stated that, "A city is where greed is entrenched." Jamieson was sure, however, that "the city" is not Babylon, but "collectively stands for the cities of surrounding nations."Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary, p. 458.

God's making cities into "heaps" refers to the same event mentioned in Revelation 16:19, where it is related that "The cities of the Gentiles fell." "`Heaps' is a graphic picture of Babylon and Nineveh as they are this very day."Ibid. God's opposition to "the city" is a reference to God's hatred and ultimate destruction of the great urban cities of the earth, representing, as Leon Morris stated it, "The cities of civilization, the achievement of man's demon-driven pride; and they will collapse."Leon Morris, Tyndale Commentaries, Vol. 20, p. 201.

"A city of terrible nations shall fear thee" This shows that people of all nations, not Jews alone, will participate in the festivities of the Messianic banquet and joys of God's kingdom in Christ.

"The storm and the heat" These are symbols that speak of God's enemies and of, "Their vain attempts to subdue the poor and the needy. In the end, they themselves will be subdued. In that day, only the Lord's people will be heard celebrating his mighty deeds."Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), p. 263.

Peake pointed out that the word rendered "strangers" in Isaiah 25:2; Isaiah 25:5, should be read as "insolent."Peake's Commentary Series, p. 453.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

For thou hast made - This is supposed to be uttered by the Jews who should return from Babylon, and therefore refers to what would have been seen by them. In their time it would have occurred that God had made of the city an heap.

Of a city - I suppose the whole scope of the passage requires us to understand this of Babylon. There has been, however, a great variety of interpretation of this passage. Grotius supposed that Samaria was intended. Calvin that the word is used collectively, and that various cities are intended. Piscator that Rome, the seat of antichrist, was intended. Jerome says that the Jews generally understand it of Rome. Aben Ezra and Kimchi, however, understand it to refer to many cities which they say will be destroyed in the times of Gog and Magog. Nearly all these opinions may be seen subjected to an examination, and shown to be unfounded, in Vitringa.

An heap - It is reduced to ruins (see the notes at Isaiah 13:0; Isaiah 14:0) The ruin of Babylon commenced when it was taken by Cyrus, and the Jews were set at liberty; it was not completed until many centuries after. The form of the Hebrew here is, ‘Thou hast placed from a city to a ruin:’ that is, thou hast changed it from being a city to a pile of ruins.

Of a defensed city - A city fortified, and made strong against the approach of an enemy. How true this was of Babylon may be seen in the description prefixed to Isaiah 13:0.

A palace - This word properly signifies the residence of a prince or monarch Jeremiah 30:18; Amos 1:4, Amos 1:7, Amos 1:10, Amos 1:12. Here it is applied to Babylon on account of its splendor, as if it were a vast palace, the residence of princes.

Of strangers - Foreigners; a term often given to the inhabitants of foreign lands, and especially to the Babylonians (see the note at Isaiah 1:7; compare Ezekiel 28:7; Joel 3:17). It means that this was, by way of eminence, The city of the foreigners; the capital of the whole Pagan world; the city where foreigners congregated and dwelt.

It shall never be built - (See the notes at Isaiah 13:19-22)

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

2.For thou hast made of a city a heap. Some refer this to Jerusalem; but I think that there is a change of the number, as is very customary with the prophets; for the Prophet does not speak merely of a single city, but of many cities, which he says will be reduced to heaps. As to the view held by some, that the Romans made Jerusalem a palace, it has nothing to do with the Prophet’s meaning, which will be easily enough understood, if we keep in remembrance what has been already stated, that the Prophet does not confine his thoughts to those calamities by which the Lord afflicts many nations, but extends his view to the end of the chastisements. In this manner the Lord determined to tame and subdue the obstinacy of men, whom he would never have brought into subjection to him without having been broken down by various afflictions.

A palace of foreigners, ⁽¹³⁸⁾ that it may not be a city. The Prophet does not merely mean that, when the natives have been driven out, “foreigners” wil1 inhabit the cities which have been taken; for that would not agree with what he immediately adds, “that it may be no longer a city;” but that wandering bands of men who shall be in want of a habitation will there find abundance of room, because there will be no inhabitants left. Since ארמון (armōn) denotes a magnificent palace, the Prophet thus says ironically, that highwaymen will dwell as in palaces, on account of the vast extent of the place which shall be deserted.

(138) Bogus footnote

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 25

But O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth ( Isaiah 25:1 ).

In other words, "God, I'm going to worship You and praise You. These are things that You've determined long ago, but they are faithful, they're true." Jesus said, "I am faithful and true witness" ( Revelation 3:14 ). Jesus confirmed these things are going to come to pass. He that is faithful and true saith. And Jesus, saying much of these same things as Isaiah, declares Himself as the faithful and true witness declaring these very things. God said to Daniel, "Seal up the prophecy for it is sure." It shall surely happen. And so here is Isaiah praising God for His faithfulness. Here is Isaiah praising God for His name and for the wonderful things that He has counseled of old, that He shall bring to pass.

For thou hast made of a city a heap; of a defensed city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built. Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the awesome nations will fear thee. For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall ( Isaiah 25:2-4 ).

God has been and is always a strength to the poor. He is a strength to the needy. He is a refuge from the storm. How many times have we sought and found refuge in Him from the storm. He is a shadow from the heat. He is praising the Lord for being the refuge and the shadow from the heat and the blast from the awesome ones.

Now this could very definitely be a reference to the things that will be taking place at the Great Tribulation and how that God will be the refuge to His children. "Come ye apart, my children, for a while, until the indignation be overpast" ( Isaiah 26:20 ). I cannot believe, I do not believe that the church will be here when this horrible devastation that Isaiah speaks about takes place upon the earth. I do not believe that. I am so deeply convicted of the fact that the Lord has better plans for me.

Jesus said, "Pray always, that you'll be accounted worthy to escape all of these things that are coming to pass upon the earth, and to be standing before the Son of man" ( Luke 21:36 ). He will be a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat.

Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the awesome ones shall be brought low. And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all the faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it ( Isaiah 25:5-8 ).

Now if I just had read you that scripture and we weren't going along in Isaiah and I said, "Where is this scripture found?" And "He will swallow up death in victory." You'll say, isn't that in Corinthians? 1Co 15:1-58? "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" ( 1 Corinthians 15:55 ) You see, Jesus has triumphed over death, hell and the grave. And in speaking of the resurrection of Jesus Christ which brings to us the hope of our resurrection, for Paul said:

Now is Christ raised from the dead, and it has become the firstfruits of those who rise from the dead. But some of you will say, How are the dead raised? and with what body will they come? Don't you realize that when you plant a seed into the ground it doesn't come forth into new life until it first of all dies? And then the body that comes out of the ground isn't the body that you planted. Because all you planted was a bare grain, by chance, wheat or some other grain. And God gives to it a body as pleases Him. So is the resurrection from the dead. You are planted in weakness and you're raised in power. You're planted in corruption; you're raised in incorruption. You're sown in dishonor, you're raised in glory. You're planted as a natural body, you're raised as a spiritual body. For there's a natural body, there's a spiritual body. And even as you're born in the image of the earth and have been earthy, so shall you bear the image of the heaven. And of course, the glory of the celestial is one, the glory of the terrestrial is another" ( 1 Corinthians 15:20 , 1 Corinthians 15:35-38 , 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 , 1 Corinthians 15:40 ).

And he goes on and speaks about these things and then he said, "But behold, I'm going to show you a mystery. We're not going to all sleep, but we're all going to have a metamorphosis, a change of body. In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trump of God shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" ( 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 ).

And then shall be brought to pass this saying, "O death, where is thy string? O grave, where is thy victory?" For the sting of death was sin but it has been removed through Jesus Christ. Oh, thank God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And so this glorious Easter proclamation. It all hinges on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It has brought to us this glorious hope. And in that day, the death will no longer be victorious. It will be swallowed up. It was swallowed up in victory in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. "And the Lord will wipe away all tears."

Now if I read that to you, you'll say, "That's in Revelation, isn't it?" Yeah, seventh chapter. "And God shall wipe away all tears." And then Revelation chapter 22, again, "And God shall wipe away all tears." The glorious day of the kingdom. "And the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it." I like that. God spoke it. You know it's going to be.

And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him ( Isaiah 25:9 ),

You've been waiting for the Lord? He will come. Surely He will come.

and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands. And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust ( Isaiah 25:9-12 ).

So the devastation of chapter 24, the Great Tribulation, and then the glorious triumphs of the Kingdom Age in chapter 25, and then God's restoration of His work on Israel in chapter 26. It's unfortunate that they've made chapter distinctions because these things all flow together. And really we should go on and take chapter 26, but we're not going to until next Sunday night. But we hope that you can remember the sequence that we have here. The Great Tribulation, the beginning of the Kingdom Age, the Lord's victory and glory, and then God's glorious dealing with His people Israel. And it's always exciting. God is faithful to His promises and as we get into chapter 26 and all, we've got God's glorious work in restoration of His people. As the prophets have all foretold when once again God begins to work in their midst.

Shall we stand.

I love the Bible, because you know that it's true. You know that what God has said He has done. And if He has done what He said you know that He will also do what He said He is going to do. You can read it with such confidence, such assurance knowing that it shall indeed be. "Heaven and earth," Jesus said, "will pass away, but My Word will never pass away" ( Matthew 24:35 ). The sureness of the Word of God. And so you can read it and you can map out your life by the Word of God and always be on safe ground. God's Word cannot fail. God's Word will not fail. You can bank on it.

May the Lord be with you and may the Lord strengthen you through this week. And may the Word be as a fire burning within your heart as God ministers to you His truth. And may your life be purged through the Word, cleansed. And may you walk with the Lord in beautiful fellowship. And may God grant to you opportunities of witnessing and serving Him. In Jesus' name. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Pilgrims on the march 25:1-5

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

What did God do? He destroyed the city of man, the world of city-state culture (cf. Isaiah 24:10), as He said He would. The city, since the time of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9), was a biblical figure of self-salvation. In the Tribulation, God will humble the pride of man who seeks to save himself.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

For thou hast made of a city an heap,.... Which is to be understood, not of Samaria, nor of Jerusalem; rather of Babylon; though it is best to interpret it of the city of Rome, as Jerom says the Jews do; though they generally explain it of many cities, which shall be destroyed in the times of Gog and Magog, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi; and so the Targum has it in the plural number; perhaps not only the city of Rome, but all the antichristian states, the cities of the nations, all within the Romish jurisdiction are meant; which shall all fall by the earthquake, sooner or later, and become a heap:

[of] a defenced city, a ruin; or, "for a fall" c; the same thing is meant as before: it designs the fall of mystical Babylon or Rome, called the great and mighty city, Revelation 18:2:

a palace of strangers; which Kimchi interprets of Babylon, which, he says, was a palace to the cities of the Gentiles, who are called strangers; and it is said, that that city was originally built for strangers, that dwelt in tents, in Arabia Deserts; but it is best to understand it of Rome, as before, which is the palace of such who are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, who have introduced a strange religion, and are the worshippers of strange gods, Daniel 11:38. The Targum renders it,

"the house of the gods of the people in the city of Jerusalem;''

and this will be made

to be no city, it shall never be built; any more, when once it is destroyed, signified by the angels casting a millstone into the sea, which shall never be taken up again, or found more, Revelation 18:21.

c למפלה "in lapsum".

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.   2 For thou hast made of a city a heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built.   3 Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee.   4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.   5 Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.

      It is said in the close of the foregoing chapter that the Lord of hosts shall reign gloriously; now, in compliance with this, the prophet here speaks of the glorious majesty of his kingdom (Psalms 145:12), and gives him the glory of it; and, however this prophecy might have an accomplishment in the destruction of Babylon and the deliverance of the Jews out of their captivity there, it seems to look further, to the praises that should be offered up to God by the gospel church for Christ's victories over our spiritual enemies and the comforts he has provided for all believers. Here,

      I. The prophet determines to praise God himself; for those that would stir up others should in the first place stir up themselves to praise God (Isaiah 25:1; Isaiah 25:1): "O Lord! thou art my God, a God in covenant with me." When God is punishing the kings of the earth upon the earth, and making them to tremble before him, a poor prophet can go to him, and, with a humble boldness, say, O Lord! thou art my God, and therefore I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name. Those that have the Lord for their God are bound to praise him; for therefore he took us to be his people that we might be unto him for a name and for a praise,Jeremiah 13:11. In praising God we exalt him; not that we can make him higher than he is, but we must make him to appear to ourselves and others than he does. See Exodus 15:2.

      II. He pleases himself with the thought that others also shall be brought to praise God, Isaiah 25:3; Isaiah 25:3. "Therefore, because of the desolations thou hast made in the earth by thy providence (Psalms 46:8) and the just vengeance thou hast taken on thy and thy church's enemies, therefore shall the strong people glorify thee in concert, and the city (the metropolis) of the terrible nations fear thee." This may be understood, 1. Of those people that have been strong and terrible against God. Those that have been enemies to God's kingdom, and have fought against the interests of it with a great deal of strength and terror, shall either be converted, and glorify God by joining with his people in his service, or at least convinced, so as to own themselves conquered. Those that have been the terror of the mighty shall be forced to tremble before the judgments of God and call in vain to rocks and mountains to hide them. Or, 2. Of those that shall be now made strong and terrible for God and by him, though before they were weak and trampled upon. God shall so visibly appear for and with those that fear him and glorify him that all shall acknowledge them a strong people and shall stand in awe of them. There was a time when many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews fell upon them (Esther 8:17), and when those that knew their God were strong and did exploits (Daniel 11:32), for which they glorified God.

      III. He observes what is, and ought to be, the matter of this praise. We and others must exalt God and praise him; for, 1. He has done wonders, according to the counsel of his own will, Isaiah 25:1; Isaiah 25:1. We exalt God by admiring what he has done as truly wonderful, wonderful proofs of his power beyond what any creature could perform, and wonderful proofs of his goodness beyond what such sinful creatures as we are could expect. These wonderful things, which are new and surprising to us, and altogether unthought of, are according to his counsels of old, devised by his wisdom and designed for his own glory and the comfort of his people. All the operations of providence are according to God's eternal counsels (and those faithfulness and truth itself), all consonant to his attributes, consistent with one another, and sure to be accomplished in their season. 2. He has in particular humbled the pride, and broken the power, of the mighty ones of the earth (Isaiah 25:2; Isaiah 25:2): "Thou hast made of a city, of many a city, a heap of rubbish. Of many a defenced city, that thought itself well guarded by nature and art, and the multitude and courage of its militia, thou hast made a ruin." What created strength can hold out against Omnipotence? "Many a city so richly built that it might be called a palace, and so much frequented and visited by persons of the best rank from all parts that it might be called a palace of strangers, thou hast made to be no city; it is levelled with the ground, and not one stone left upon another, and it shall never be built again." This has been the case of many cities in divers parts of the world, and in our own nation particularly; cities that flourished once have gone to decay and are lost, and it is scarcely known (except by urns or coins digged up out of the earth) where they stood. How many of the cities of Israel have long since been heaps and ruins! God hereby teaches us that here we have no continuing city and must therefore seek one to come which will never be a ruin or go to decay. 3. He has seasonably relieved and succoured his necessitous and distressed people (Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 25:4): Thou has been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy. As God weakens the strong that are proud and secure, so he strengthens the weak that are humble and serious, and stay themselves upon him. Nay, he not only makes them strong, but he is himself their strength; for in him they strengthen themselves, and it is his favour that is the strength of their hearts. He is a strength to the needy in his distress, when he needs strength, and when his distress drives him to God. And, as he strengthens them against their inward decays, so he shelters them from outward assaults. He is a refuge from the storm of rain or hail, and a shadow from the scorching heat of the sun in summer. God is a sufficient protection to his people in all weathers, hot and cold, wet and dry. The armour of righteousness serves both on the right hand and on the left,2 Corinthians 6:7. Whatever dangers or troubles God's people may be in, effectual care is taken that they shall sustain no real hurt or damage. When perils are most threatening and alarming God will then appear for the safety of his people: When the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall, which makes a great noise, but cannot overthrow the wall. The enemies of God's poor are terrible ones; they do all they can to make themselves so to them. Their rage is like a blast of wind, loud, and blustering, and furious; but, like the wind, it is under a divine check; for God holds the winds in his fist, and God will be such a shelter to his people that they shall be able to stand the shock, keep their ground, and maintain their integrity and peace. A storm beating on a ship tosses it, but that which beats on a wall never stirs it, Psalms 76:10; Psalms 138:7. 4. That he does and will shelter those that trust in him from the insolence of their proud oppressors (Isaiah 25:5; Isaiah 25:5): Thou shalt, or thou dost, bring down the noise of strangers; thou shalt abate and still it, as the heat in a dry place is abated and moderated by the shadow of a cloud interposing. The branch, or rather the son or triumph, of the terrible ones shall be brought low, and they shall be made to change their note and lower their voice. Observe here, (1.) The oppressors of God's people are called strangers; for they forget that those they oppress are made of the same mould, of the same blood, with them. They are called terrible ones; for so they affect to be, rather than amiable ones: they would rather be feared than loved. (2.) Their insolence towards the people of God is noisy and hot, and that is all; it is but the noise of strangers, who think to carry their point by hectoring and bullying all that stand in their way, and talking big. Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise,Jeremiah 46:17. It is like the heat of the sun scorching in the middle of the day; but where is it when the sun has set? (3.) Their noise, and heat, and all their triumph, will be humbled and brought low, when their hopes are baffled and all their honours laid in the dust. The branches, even the top branches, of the terrible ones, will be broken off, and thrown to the dunghill. (4.) If the labourers in God's vineyard be at any time called to bear the burden and heat of the day, he will find some way or other to refresh them, as with the shadow of a cloud, that they may not be pressed above measure.