Isa 17:12-14 | JFB | STEP | 12. Woe ... multitude-- rather, "Ho (Hark)! a noise of," &c. The prophet in vision perceives the vast and mixed Assyrian hosts (Hebrew, "many peoples," see on ): on the hills of Judah (so "mountains," ): but at the "rebuke" of God, they shall "flee as chaff." to the rushing ... that make-- rather, "the roaring ... roareth" (compare ; ).

‏ Isaiah 17:12-14

12. Woe ... multitude--rather, "Ho (Hark)! a noise of," &c. The prophet in vision perceives the vast and mixed Assyrian hosts (Hebrew, "many peoples," see on Is 5:26): on the hills of Judah (so "mountains," Is 17:13): but at the "rebuke" of God, they shall "flee as chaff."

to the rushing ... that make--rather, "the roaring ... roareth" (compare Is 8:7; Jr 6:23).

13. shall ... shall--rather, "God rebuketh (Psa 9:5) them, and they flee--are chased"; the event is set before the eyes as actually present, not future.

chaff of ... mountains--Threshing floors in the East are in the open air on elevated places, so as to catch the wind which separates the chaff from the wheat (Psa 88:13; Ho 13:3).

rolling thing--anything that rolls: stubble.

14. eventide ... before morning--fulfilled to the letter in the destruction "before morning" of the vast host that "at eveningtide" was such a terror ("trouble") to Judah; on the phrase see Psa 90:6; 30:5.

he is not--namely, the enemy.

us--the Jews. A general declaration of the doom that awaits the foes of God's people (Is 54:17).