Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Isaiah 31:4

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Isaiah 31:4. Like as the lion — This comparison is exactly in the spirit and manner, and very nearly approaching to the expression, of Homer.

Βη ρ' ιμεν, ὡστε λεων ορεσιτροφος, ὁστ' επιδευης

Δηρον εῃ κρειων, κελεται δε ἑ θυμος αγηνωρ,

Μηλων πειρησοντα, και ες πυκινον δομον ελθειν·

Ειπερ γαρ χ' εὑρῃσι παρ' αυτοψι βωτορας ανδρας

Συν κυσι και δουρεσσι φυλασσοντας περι μηλα,

Ου ρα τ' απειρητος μεμονε σταθμοιο διεσθαι.

Αλλ' ὁγ' αῥ η ἡρπαξε μεταλμενος, ηε και αυτος

Εβλητ' εν πρωτοισι θοης απο χειρος ακοντι.

Iliad xii. 299.

As the bold lion, mountain-bred, now long

Famished, with courage and with hunger stung

Attempts the thronged fold: him nought appals,

Though dogs and armed shepherds stand in guard

Collected; he nathless undaunted springs

O'er the high fence, and rends the trembling prey;

Or, rushing onward, in his breast receives

The well-aimed spear.

Of metaphors, allegories, and comparisons of the Hebrew poets, in which the Divine nature and attributes are represented under images taken from brutes and other low objects; of their effect, their sublimity, and the causes of it; see De Sac. Poes. Heb., Praelect. xvi. sub. fin.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Egypt cannot save Judah (31:1-9)

Isaiah again condemns the Judeans for relying on Egypt instead of on God. The Judeans think they are wise, but actually they are foolish. Real wisdom rests with God, and he knows best how to overthrow Assyria. As for Egypt, it will be defeated, and when it falls, Judah also will fall (31:1-3).
Judah should learn to trust in God. A lion is not terrified by the shouts of shepherds, and God is not terrified by the threats of the Assyrians. He will protect Jerusalem as a mother bird protects her young (4-5). God desires that this whole experience will lead the people of Judah to repent of their sins and throw away their idols (6-7). They will see that victory over the Assyrians comes neither from Egypt nor from idols, but from the living God. He will act against the Assyrians and they will be miraculously defeated (8-9).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"For thus saith Jehovah unto me, As the Lion and the young lion growling over his prey, if a multitude of shepherds be called forth against him, will not be dismayed at their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so will Jehovah of hosts come down to fight upon mount Zion, and upon the hill thereof."

Many scholars have had trouble in deciding whether this verse is a threat to Jerusalem, or a promise of deliverance. "The words in the Hebrew here always mean to fight against";Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), p. 281. and, since mount Zion is the object here, a great deal of perplexity has resulted; but Hailey explained it perfectly:

"The shepherds making the loud noise do not represent Assyria… but represent the politicians of Judah and the Egyptians. The picture is clear: the lion is Jehovah, his prey is Jerusalem; and the loud but ineffectual shepherds are the politicians and the Egyptians."Homer Hailey, p. 265.

Zechariah also spoke of "false shepherds" who misled the flock of God; but some scholars have even resorted to "emending" (that means presumptuously changing) the text in order to remove the prospect of God's fighting Jerusalem,! which is a "No, No" indeed for some scholars. However that part of Jerusalem which God is here represented as "fighting against" certainly deserved it. Peake commented on such efforts to pervert the text through emendation, thus: "If we keep the text as it stands (which, of course, we should do), the meaning seems to be that Jehovah will rest Jerusalem from its present rulers."Peake's Commentary Series, p. 457. Yes! That is exactly what Jehovah did when he defeated the false shepherds who were advising Hezekiah to accept that alliance with Egypt. That defeat of the false shepherds led to the discarding of the idols in Isaiah 31:7, below.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

For thus hath the Lord spoken - The design of this verse and the following is to assure the Jews of the certain protection of Yahweh, and thus to induce them to put their trust in him rather than to seek the alliance with Egypt. To do this the prophet makes use of two striking illustrations, the first of which is, that Yahweh would be no more alarmed at the number and power of their enemies than a fierce lion would be that was intent on his prey, and could not be frightened from it by any number of men that should come against him. The “point” of this comparison is, that as the lion that “was intent on his purpose” could not be frightened from it by numbers, so it would be with Yahweh, who “was equally intent on his purpose” - the defense of the city of Jerusalem. It does not mean, of course, that the purpose of God and of the lion resembled each other, but merely that there was similar “intensity of purpose,” and similar adherence to it notwithstanding all opposition. The figure is one that denotes the highest vigilance, firmness, steadiness, and a determination on the part of Yahweh that Jerusalem should not fall into the hands of the Assyrians.

Like as the lion - The divine nature and purposes are often represented in the Scriptures by metaphors, allegories, and comparisons taken from animals, and especially from the lion (see Deuteronomy 33:20; Job 10:16; Psalms 7:2; Hosea 11:10).

And the young lion - The vigorous, strong, fierce lion. The use of the two here, gives intensity and strength to the comparison. It is observable that the lion is seldom mentioned alone in the Scriptures.

Roaring on his prey - Roaring as he seizes on his prey. This is the moment of the greatest intensity of purpose in the lion, and it is therefore used by Isaiah to denote the intense purpose of Yahweh to defend Jerusalem, and not to be deterred by any number of enemies.

When a multitude of shepherds is called forth - When the neighborhood is alarmed, and all the inhabitants turn out to destroy him. This comparison is almost exactly in the spirit and language of Homer, “Il.” xii. 209, following:

So pressed with hunger from the mountain’s brow,

Descends a lion on the flocks below;

So stalks the lordly savage o’er the plain,

In sullen majesty and stern disdain:

In vain loud mastiffs bay him from afar,

And shepherds gall him with an iron war;

Regardless, furious, he pursues his way;

He foams, he roars, he rends the panting prey.

Pope

So also Il. xviii. 161, 162:

- But checked he turns; repulsed attacks again.

With fiercer shouts his lingering troops he fires

Nor yields a step, nor from his post retires;

So watchful shepherds strive to force in vain,

The hungry lion from the carcass slain.

Pope

He will not be afraid - He will be so intent on his prey that he will not heed their shouting.

Nor abase himself - That is, he will not be frightened, or disheartened.

So shall the Lord of hosts - That is, with the same intensity of purpose; with the same fixedness of design. He will be as little dismayed and diverted from his purpose by the number, the designs, and the war shout of the Assyrian armies.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

4.For thus hath Jehovah said to me. The Prophet adds this verse, that it may not be thought that the Lord leaves us destitute of necessary means; for if, while he forbids us to place our confidence in creatures, he did not promise us any assistance, we might complain that he gave ground for despair, and not for consolation; as we saw, a little before, that men are more careful and attentive than they ought to be, because they think that they will be deficient in thoughtfulness, if they rest satisfied with God alone, and abstain from forbidden means. He therefore takes away every excuse, when he promises that he will be a faithful guardian to us; for what pretense can be left, if we despise the salvation which he offers to us of his own accord? It is therefore as if he had said, “The Lord assists, and will assist; he forbids you to ask assistance from the Egyptians.” By comparing himself to a lion, a very powerful animal and keenly bent on prey, he employs a very appropriate comparison, to shew that he is in the highest degree both able and willing to defend us.

In the second part of the comparison, the Prophet dwells largely on the great eagerness with which the Lord takes hold of his people, keeps them near himself, preserves them from being carried off, and defends them against all dangers; while he also points out that strength and power which no arms and no forces can resist. Now, it is impossible that comparisons should hold on every point, nor is it necessary, but they ought to be suitable to the subject which is handled. Since therefore we know that the Lord loves us so much and takes such care of us, must we not be worse than mad if we despise him, and seek other aids, which will not only be useless but destructive to us?

Smith's Bible Commentary

Shall we turn in our Bibles to Isaiah 31:1-9 .

Now as a backdrop to these scriptures in Isaiah 31:1-9 is the impending invasion of Assyria. Assyria is the world-conquering power at the moment. Assyria has destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Assyria has destroyed Syria; has conquered over Babylon. And now the Assyrian troops are moving in a massive invasion of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Having taken some of the cities of Judah already. And there is pressure against Hezekiah and the pressure groups are seeking to have him to make an alliance with Egypt and to go down to Egypt and seek the help of the Egyptians against this Assyrian invasion. And so Isaiah is saying, "No, your strength is in standing still and doing nothing. God is going to deliver you from the hand of the Assyrian. Don't trust in the arm of flesh; trust in the Lord." And so as a backdrop to this is this pressure group that is moving towards an alliance with Egypt to withstand this Assyrian invasion. So Isaiah says,

Woe unto them that go down to Egypt for help; who would trust on horses, and in chariots [for help], because they have many of them; and in the horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD! ( Isaiah 31:1 )

So he is pronouncing a woe upon them that would be seeking the help from men and not seeking the help of God. Now for some strange reason, it seems that we always turn to God as a last resort. It seems like the very natural thing for us to do in a crisis is to turn to the arm of flesh. To try to figure out how to work things up and turning to the arm of flesh, turning to our friends and all, trying to get support for our cause, instead of turning to the Lord and seeking the help of the Lord. So he pronounces woe on them who are ready to look to Egypt for help, to depend and trust in their chariots and in their horsemen, who do not look to the Lord for their help.

May that be a real lesson to us. May we learn to trust in the Lord. For, "It's better to put your trust in the Lord than your confidence in man. It's better to put your trust in the Lord than your confidence in princes" ( Psalms 118:8-9 ).

Yet he also is wise, he will bring evil, he will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men, they're not God; their horses are flesh, they're not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helps shall fall, and he that is helped shall fall down, and they shall fail together ( Isaiah 31:2-3 ).

Don't trust in the arm of Egypt. They're only flesh. They're not God. They're only men. Their horses are flesh, not spirit. The greater strength, the greater help is in the Spirit of God, for God is able when He stretches out His hand to do the job completely.

For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof ( Isaiah 31:4 ).

Now, trust in the Lord; don't trust in the Egyptians. Put your trust in God. For God is going to come down. And like a crouching lion on his prey.

Now when a lion would grab one of the sheep out of the flock, it would crouch upon its prey and the shepherds would, all of them, come around and they would start yelling and making a lot of noise and all and they would try to scare the lion off. They would try to get the thing all frightened and scared off by just yelling, make a lot of noise and all. But the Lord said, "Like a lion that is on his prey, and though the multitude of shepherds make a lot of racket, he's not going to move. He's going to hang on to it." So the Lord is going to come down. And He's going to fight for Zion. God is going to defend the people. You don't have to depend upon the arm of flesh. We sing the song, "The arm of flesh will fail you. Ye dare not trust your own. Put on the royal armor."

Now here is an interesting little verse, verse Isaiah 31:5 . And as we have noticed in prophecy, so many times there is a dual fulfillment of prophecy, or so many times there'll just be... He'll be talking about a local situation, and this particular situation is the impending invasion of Assyria and don't go to Egypt. Trust in the Lord for your help. And he's talking about the local situation. But now we get this interesting little verse, verse Isaiah 31:5 . And this is typical of so many prophecies. Suddenly it will jump way on out and be speaking of a future event that is totally unrelated to the particular local scene.

Or it could be relating to the local scene and yet have a fulfillment in the future. And you'll notice this many places through the prophecies of the Old Testament, because these men wrote things that they did not understand. In the New Testament it said that these prophets really desired earnestly to look into these things but they were hid from their eyes. They didn't really understand. They only wrote as God inspired them. Not always understanding what they were saying.

Now when in the New Testament you have many times an exposition from a remote prophecy of the Old Testament. There is a psalm that talks about "He shall fall and let another take his bishopric," and it goes on. And Peter picked up this one little verse of this psalm and he says it was referring to Judas Iscariot. That he by transgression would fall and it would be necessary for another one to take his bishopric. So let's choose one to take the place of Judas Iscariot. And yet, if you would read the psalm, in just reading the psalm you wouldn't see where that related.

Reading in the scriptures, the prophecy concerning, "he shall bring him out of Egypt." In the New Testament, Matthew said that that was referring to the flight of Joseph and Mary to Egypt. Now you read that in the Old Testament and it's hard to pick out. But yet, inspired by the Holy Spirit the commentaries of the New Testament help us to understand the prophecies of old. I believe that this is possibly one of those little prophecies that are just nuggets here; that they're just thrown in and had a future fulfillment.

For in 1917, when the Turks were holding the city of Jerusalem, General Allenby came with the British troops and they had set up their artillery around Jerusalem and were planning an artillery barrage to weaken the defenses of the Turks within the city before they made their assault against Jerusalem. Because there were many holy sites in the old city of Jerusalem, General Allenby wanted to be careful in the directing of the artillery that he would only direct it as much as possible against the Turkish positions. He did not want to just a wholesale destruction of the old city because you would lose priceless monuments, buildings and all of the past. So he ordered some planes to fly over Jerusalem to observe where the Turkish military locations were in order that they might direct their artillery against the Turkish defenses. When these planes came over, the Turkish captain who was in charge of the garrison ordered that Jerusalem be evacuated by the Turkish troops. He thought that Allenby was going to actually begin to bomb their positions in the city. And so they evacuated from Jerusalem and Allenby was able to go in and take the city of Jerusalem without firing any artillery rounds, without destroying any of the ancient sites, and the city was spared the artillery bombardment as the result of these airplane, the reconnaissance planes that he sent overhead.

Now in the light of that historic background from 1917, you read this particular verse in Isaiah and it stands out very interesting.

As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it ( Isaiah 31:5 ).

The city of Jerusalem was preserved from the destruction of the artillery bombardment of the British troops in 1917 because of these planes, the reconnaissance planes that struck actually terror and fear in the heart of the Turkish garrison leader. So it's interesting how that here in the midst of his prophecy concerning Assyria that he puts in this little nugget and that in 1917, whether or not it was intended to be a prophecy concerning that, yet it was so aptly fulfilled in 1917 when General Allenby took Jerusalem from the Turks.

Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted ( Isaiah 31:6 ).

Now the cry of the prophet to turn to God. "You've revolted against God, but He will defend. He will be your defense."

For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin ( Isaiah 31:7 ).

They had created their own little gods. They have turned to idolatry. The thing that God had forbidden they indulged in. So it speaks of the reformation of the people.

Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited. And he shall pass over to his stronghold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace is in Jerusalem ( Isaiah 31:8-9 ).

So here Isaiah is, of course, predicting that God is going to destroy these Assyrians and that they don't need to go down to Egypt or to depend upon the Egyptians for help. But that in reality, the Lord will destroy them. But not with the sword of man, but God Himself is going to destroy them.

Now it is important for understanding of the prophecy of Isaiah to really put it in its historic setting. And so as a background to this area, you should be reading Second Kings again beginning with chapter 17 probably, which begins with the destruction of the Northern Kingdom by Assyria. And then eighteen which begins with the reign of Hezekiah. And then the threats from the Assyrians, Sennacherib sending his threats against Hezekiah and so forth.

In the nineteenth chapter, verse 2 Kings 19:35 of Second Kings we read, "And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000: and when the people in Jerusalem arose early in the morning, behold, they looked out and they were all dead corpses. And Sennacherib the king of Assyria departed, and he returned, and he dwelt in Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead" ( 2 Kings 19:35-37 ).

So here the prophecy of Isaiah before it happened. And, of course, then in Second Kings you can read of how this prophecy was fulfilled. The Assyrians fell, but not with the sword of a mighty man but with the sword of an angel of the Lord who in the one night destroyed 185,000.

Now brings up the subject of angels, which were created before man, which are a special class of creation. They are spiritual beings. They have the capacity of taking on a physical form. And in the Old Testament many times angels would take on physical forms. And we read where Abraham talked to the angel of the Lord. The angel of the Lord appeared unto Gideon at the threshingfloor. The angel of the Lord appeared unto Samson's mother. And many times the angels appeared to people in the Old Testament.

Also in the New Testament. When Peter was in prison, about midnight an angel of the Lord woke him up and said, "Put your sandals on and follow me." And Peter tied his sandals on his feet and followed the angels as the doors of the prison opened of their own accord. And the angel led Peter out of the prison and then disappeared. Paul the apostle spoke to the people, "Be of good cheer," when they were on a boat and were expecting to be shipwrecked and were soon to be shipwrecked. "Be of good cheer, for last night an angel of the Lord stood by me and assured me that though the boat was going to be destroyed, there wouldn't be a loss of life" ( Acts 27:22-23 ).

And so the Old Testament speaks of the angels and said, "He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all of thy ways. To bear thee up, lest at any time you dash your foot against the stone" ( Psalms 91:11-12 ).

So some way God has placed angels and given them the responsibility of watching over you as a child of God. In Hebrews we read concerning the angels, "Are they not all of them ministering spirits who have been sent for to minister to those who are the heirs of salvation?" ( Hebrews 1:14 ) Satan at one time was an angel of God. He rebelled against the authority of God. There are indications that when Satan rebelled, that a third of the angels in heaven rebelled with him. In Revelation chapter 13 or chapter 12, he saw the dragon, and with his tail he drew a third part of the stars of heaven. The stars of heaven is an appellation for angels many times. So there is the concept that Satan drew a third part of the angels in his rebellion against God.

They are spirit beings. They remain to us today much of a mystery. But many otherwise unaccountable phenomena can be explained by the presence or power of angels. Things that we cannot understand. Interesting type of phenomena. I think that much of the psychic phenomena is in the realm of spiritism and is in the realm of angels, not necessarily the angels of God but those that have fallen with Satan from God. Now when the angels fell, because they rebelled against the authority of God and followed Satan, God prepared a place where they are ultimately to be incarcerated.

There is also a place of temporary incarceration known as the abusso in Greek, translated many times "the pit" or "the bottomless pit." But their place of final incarceration is Gehenna, which Jesus described as being outer darkness. Probably out in space beyond the light of the farthest galaxy. And Jesus declares that in the day when He comes back to the earth to judge the earth, He will say to certain of those who are upon the earth, those who have received the mark of the beast, those who have worshipped the false messiah, He will say unto them, "Depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity." Into Gehenna that was prepared for Satan and his angels. And so Gehenna, even though it was prepared by God for Satan and his angels, those who have chosen to follow Satan will also be consigned to that same place of judgment.

And so, "The angel of the Lord," the Bible says, "encamps about the righteous" ( Psalms 34:7 ). "His ear is open to their cry" ( Psalms 34:15 ). And yet, we are not to pray to angels. Let no man deceive you concerning a false sense of humility by praying to angels. We are not to worship angels. When John tried to bow down to the angel that was giving him the revelation, he said, "Stand up, I'm a man just like you are. I'm in the same class as you are. I'm just a servant of God. Don't worship me, worship God."

Most of the time at the appearance of the angels to men, the effect upon men was that of fear. And so they were always saying, "Fear not." Two of the extraordinary angels seem to be Gabriel and Michael. Michael is called that strong prince. Gabriel it seems was in charge of the arrangements for the birth of Christ. Gabriel appeared to John the Baptist's father Zacharias. He also appeared to Mary to announce to Mary the fact that she was to be the mother of the Christ child. He appeared 600 years earlier to Daniel. Gave unto Daniel the prophecy by which the day that the Messiah would come was prophesied.

So they are interesting beings. They surround the throne of God. There is one class of angels known as the cherubim who surround the throne of God, cease not day or night saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." It will be very interesting and fascinating for us to discover the facets of these angels when we get to heaven. Our knowledge of them at the present time is very limited. But yet the Bible speaks of them and even tells us to be careful to entertain strangers. You never know but what you might be entertaining an angel without knowing it.

So the Assyrians were destroyed by one angel. A hundred and eighty-five thousand of them. So they are very powerful beings in ratio to man. Who can withstand a spirit being? An angel of the Lord. Brings up an interesting thought. When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and Peter pulled out his sword and began to swing away, cutting off the ear of Malchus the servant of the high priest, and Jesus picked up the ear and put it back on and said to Peter, "Put your sword away, Peter." He said, "Don't you realize that if I wanted to at this moment I could call for ten thousand angels to deliver Me out of their hands? I don't need your help, Peter."

So oftentimes we think God needs our help, don't we? Now let's help out the Lord. The Lord says, "Hey, Peter, I don't need your help. I could call for ten thousand angels to deliver Me." Now if one angel smote 185,000 Assyrians in one night, can you imagine what a legion, ten thousand angels, could do? Now that's why when God speaks of this coming situation with Russia and you think, "Oh, how could Israel ever withstand Russia and all," you don't have to worry about Israel, because God is going to set His forces and His power to work against the invaders. And it's just... it will be a time of great awakening as people awake to the realization of God. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Imminent disaster and later deliverance 31:1-5

The first five verses constitute a prologue to this "woe" and deal with imminent disaster followed by later deliverance.

"Without any particular break in the thought Isaiah continues his denunciation of those who look to Egypt for aid." [Note: Young, 2:373.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The Lord had told Isaiah that He would be as a lion and as a bird to Judah. As a lion attacks its prey with focused purposefulness, He would decimate the Judahites, and the shouts of the Egyptian shepherds that the Judahites had hired to protect them would not scare Him off. As a bird that protects its young from other animals, the Lord would protect Judah from its predator, Assyria (cf. Exodus 12).

"He who protects is He who is strong as a lion to accomplish His purposes." [Note: Young, 2:379.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me,.... The prophet Isaiah, who had heard and received what follows from the Lord, and therefore it might be depended upon; and they are words of grace and mercy, promising preservation and deliverance; and therefore it was a foolish thing to send to Egypt for help:

Like as the lion, and the young lion roaring on his prey; or "muttering", or "growling over his prey" r; for the lion roars when he is hungry, and wants a prey, and not when he has got one; but when he has one, and is tearing it in pieces, and feeding upon it, he makes a lower noise, a growling one, especially when he apprehends anyone near to disturb him:

when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him; or, "a fulness of shepherds" s; the whole posse of them, all that are in the towns and villages, or fields adjacent: who, when a lion has got a lamb or sheep out of the flock, are alarmed and called together, to deliver it, if possible, out of his hands; one not daring to venture, or being not sufficient to disturb him, or drive him away: or, "when a multitude of shepherds meet him" t; with the prey in his jaws; or rather "call to him", make a noise, in hopes to frighten him, and cause him to drop his prey, that being all they can do, not daring to go near him; which sense is confirmed by what follows:

[he] will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them; he will not leave and lose his prey, or flee from it or them, for the yell and confused noise they make; nor move at all the faster for them, not being in the least intimidated by them:

so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for Mount Zion, and for the hill thereof; that is, he shall come down from heaven by his angel, or in the display of his mighty power, and fight against the Assyrian army, in favour of his people, the inhabitants of Zion or Jerusalem, and deliver them; and there will be no more withstanding him, or putting him off from his purpose, or preventing his good designs and resolutions, than the shepherds are able to divert a lion from his prey. The simile is expressive of the power of God, and of his certain accomplishment of his purposes and promises.

r יהגה על טרפו "ab" הגה, "mussitare." s מלא רועים "plenitudo pastorum", Montanus, De Dieu, Cocceius. A collection of them, as Ben Melech. t אשר יקרא עליו "quando in occursum illius venit", Munster.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!   2 Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.   3 Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.   4 For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.   5 As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.

      This is the last of four chapters together that begin with woe; and they are all woes to the sinners that were found among the professing people of God, to the drunkards of Ephraim (Isaiah 28:1; Isaiah 28:1), to Ariel (Isaiah 29:1; Isaiah 29:1), to the rebellious children (Isaiah 30:1; Isaiah 30:1), and here to those that go down to Egypt for help; for men's relation to the church will not secure them from divine woes if they live in contempt of divine laws. Observe,

      I. What the sin was that is here reproved, Isaiah 31:1; Isaiah 31:1. 1. Idolizing the Egyptians, and making court to them, as if happy were the people that had the Egyptians for their friends and allies. They go down to Egypt for help in every exigence, as if the worshippers of false gods had a better interest in heaven and were more likely to have success of earth than the servants of the living and true God. That which invited them to Egypt was that the Egyptians had many chariots to accommodate them with, and horses and horsemen that were strong; and, if they could get a good body of forces thence into their service, they would think themselves able to deal with the king of Assyria and his numerous army. Their kings were forbidden to multiply horses and chariots, and were told of the folly of trusting to them (Psalms 20:7); but they think themselves wiser than their Bible. 2. Slighting the God of Israel: They look not to the Holy One of Israel, as if he were not worth taking notice of in this distress. They advise not with him, seek not his favour, nor are in any care to make him their friend.

      II. The gross absurdity and folly of this sin. 1. They neglected one whom, if they would not hope in him, they had reason to fear. They do not seek the Lord, nor make their application to him, yet he also is wise,Isaiah 31:2; Isaiah 31:2. They are solicitous to get the Egyptians into an alliance with them, because they have the reputation of a politic people; and is not God wise too? and would not infinite wisdom, engaged on their side, stand them in more stead than all the policies of Egypt? They are at the pains of going down to Egypt, a tedious journey, when they might have had better advice, and better help, by looking up to heaven, and would not. But, if they will not court God's wisdom to act for them, they shall find it act against them. He is wise, too wise for them to outwit, and he will bring evil upon those who thus affront him. He will not call back his words as men do (because they are fickle and foolish), but he will arise against the house of the evil-doers, this cabal of them that go down to Egypt; God will appear to their confusion, according to the word that he has spoken, and will oppose the help they think to bring in from the workers of iniquity. Some think the Egyptians made it one condition of their coming into an alliance with him that they should worship the gods of Egypt, and they consented to it, and therefore they are both called evil-doers and workers of iniquity. 2. They trusted to those who were unable to help them and would soon appear to be so, Isaiah 31:3; Isaiah 31:3. Let them know that the Egyptians, whom they depend so much upon, are men and not God. As it is good for men to know themselves to be but men (Psalms 9:20), so it is good for us to consider that those we love and trust to are but men. They therefore can do nothing without God, nothing against him, nothing in comparison with him. They are men, and therefore fickle and foolish, mutable and mortal, here to day and gone to morrow; they are men, and therefore let us not make gods of them, by making them our hope and confidence, and expecting that in them which is to be found in God only; they are not God, they cannot do that for us which God can do, and will, if we trust in him. Let us not then neglect him, to seek to them; let us not forsake the rock of ages for broken reeds, nor the fountain of living waters for broken cisterns. The Egyptians indeed have horses that are very strong; but they are flesh, and not spirit, and therefore, strong as they are, they may be wearied with a long march, and become unserviceable, or be wounded and slain in battle, and leave their riders to be ridden over. Every one knows this, that the Egyptians are not God and their horses are not spirit; but those that seek to them for help do not consider it, else they would not put such confidence in them. Sinners may be convicted of folly by the plainest and most self-evident truths, which they cannot deny, but will not believe. 3. They would certainly be ruined with the Egyptians they trusted in, Isaiah 31:3; Isaiah 31:3. When the Lord does but stretch out his hand how easily, how effectually, will he make them ashamed of their confidence in Egypt, and the Egyptians ashamed of the encouragement they gave them to trust in them; for he that helps and he that is helped shall fall together, and their mutual alliance shall prove their joint ruin. The Egyptians were shortly to be reckoned with, as appears by the burden of Egypt (Isaiah 19:1-25; Isaiah 19:1-25), and then those who fled to them for shelter and succour should fall with them; for there is no escaping the judgments of God. Evil pursues sinners, and it is just with God to make that creature a scourge to us which we make an idol of. 4. They took God's work out of his hands. They pretended a great deal of care to preserve Jerusalem, in advising to an alliance with Egypt; and, when others would not fall in with their measures, they pleaded self preservation, and went to Egypt themselves. Now the prophet here tells them that Jerusalem should be preserved without aid from Egypt and that those who tarried there should be safe when those who fled to Egypt should be ruined. Jerusalem was under God's protection, and therefore there was no occasion to put it under the protection of Egypt. But a practical distrust of God's all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all our sinful departures from him to the creature. The prophet tells them he had it from God's own mouth: Thus hath the Lord spoken to me. They might depend upon it, (1.) That God would appear against Jerusalem's enemies with the boldness of a lion over his prey,Isaiah 31:4; Isaiah 31:4. When the lion comes out to seize his prey a multitude of shepherds come out against him; for it becomes neighbours to help one another when persons or goods are in danger. These shepherds dare not come near the lion; all they can do is to make a noise, and with that they think to frighten him off. But does he regard it? No: he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself so far as to be in the least moved by it either to quit his prey or to make any more haste than otherwise he would do in seizing it. Thus will the Lord of hosts come down to fight for Mount Zion, with such an unshaken undaunted resolution not to be moved by any opposition; and he will as easily and irresistibly destroy the Assyrian army as a lion tears a lamb in pieces. Whoever appear against God, they are but like a multitude of poor simple shepherds shouting at a lion, who scorns to take notice of them or so much as to alter his pace for them. Surely those that have such a protector need not go to Egypt for help. (2.) That God would appear for Jerusalem's friends with the tenderness of a bird over her young, Isaiah 31:5; Isaiah 31:5. God was ready to gather Jerusalem, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings (Matthew 23:37); but those that trusted to the Egyptians would not be gathered. As birds flying to their nests with all possible speed, when they see them attacked, and fluttering about their nests with all possible concern, hovering over their young ones to protect them and drive away the assailants, with such compassion and affection will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem. As an eagle stirs up her young when they are in danger, takes them and bears them on her wings, so the Lord led Israel out of Egypt (Deuteronomy 32:11; Deuteronomy 32:12); and he has now the same tender concern for them that he had then, so that they need not flee into Egypt again for shelter. Defending, he will deliver it; he will so defend it as to secure the continuance of its safety, not defend it for a while and abandon it at last, but defend it so that it shall not fall into the enemies' hand. I will defend this city to save it,Isaiah 37:35; Isaiah 37:35. Passing over he will preserve it; the word for passing over is used in this sense only here and Exodus 12:12; Exodus 12:23; Exodus 12:27, concerning the destroying angel's passing over the houses of the Israelites when he slew all the first-born of the Egyptians, to which story this passage refers. The Assyrian army was to be routed by a destroying angel, who should pass over Jerusalem, though that deserved to be destroyed, and draw his sword only against the besiegers. They shall be slain by the pestilence, but none of the besieged shall take the infection. Thus he will again pass over the houses of his people and secure them.