*H Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, trusting in horses, and putting their confidence in chariots, because they are many: and in horsemen, because they are very strong: and have not trusted in the Holy One of Israel, and have not sought after the Lord.
Ver. 1. Chariots. He continues to inveigh against this practice. C. xxx. 16. C. — Salmanasar will ruin the ten tribes. M.
*H But he that is the wise one hath brought evil, and hath not removed his words: and he will rise up against the house of the wicked, and against the aid of them that work iniquity.
Ver. 2. Words. The Lord will punish the wicked Jews, (C.) after the Egyptians. Joseph. x. 1. — The former would not believe the prophets. W.
*H Egypt is man, and not God: and their horses, flesh, and not spirit: and the Lord shall put down his hand, and the helper shall fall, and he that is helped shall fall, and they shall all be confounded together.
Ver. 3. Hand. If God neglect to support empires, they fall of themselves.
*H For thus saith the Lord to me: Like as the lion roareth, and the lions whelp upon his prey, and when a multitude of shepherds shall come against him, he will not fear at their voice, nor be afraid of their multitude: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight upon mount Sion, and upon the hill thereof.
Ver. 4. Thereof. He will thence hurl destruction on the distant enemy. C. — He had destroyed Sennacherib's army. 4 K. xix. Yet they forgot this and other proofs of God's power and love. W.
*H As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts protect Jerusalem, protecting and delivering, passing over and saving.
Ver. 5. Over. He will protect Jerusalem, notwithstanding the menaces of Sennacherib, as he did his people from the destroying angel.
*H Return as you had deeply revolted, O children of Israel.
Ver. 6. Revolted. Let your conversion bear proportion (C.) with your sins. H.
*H For in that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your hands have made for you to sin.
Ver. 7. Idols. Their worship was afterwards more severely prohibited. C. xxx. 21.
*H And the Assyrian shall fall by the sword not of a man, and the sword not of a man shall devour him, and he shall flee not at the face of the sword, and his young men shall be tributaries.
Ver. 8. Flee not. Heb. "flee to himself," lo. Sept. and Vulg. have read la, "not." The angel destroyed the army, and the king was slain at his return. — Tributaries. Ninive being afterwards subject to the Chaldees, &c. C. — Heb. "shall melt." Vat.
* Footnote * 4_Kings 19 : 35
And it came to pass that night, that an angel of the Lord came, and slew in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand. And when he arose early in the morning, he saw all the bodies of the dead.* Footnote * 2_Paralipomenon 32 : 21
And the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the stout men and the warriors, and the captains of the army of the king of the Assyrians: and he returned with disgrace into his own country. And when he was come into the house of his god, his sons that came out of his bowels, slew him with the sword.*H And his strength shall pass away with dread, and his princes fleeing shall be afraid: the Lord hath said it, whose fire is in Sion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.
Ver. 9. Strength. Heb. "rock," the king. — Jerusalem, to protect it, (C.) and punish the guilty. Chal.