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1 Woe vnto them that decree vnrighteous decrees, and that write grieuousnesse which they haue prescribed:

2 To turne aside the needy from iudgement, and to take away the right from the poore of my people, that widdowes may be their pray, and that they may robbe the fatherles.

3 And what wil ye doe in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from farre? To whom wil ye flee for helpe? And where will yee leaue your glory?

4 Without mee they shall bowe downe vnder the prisoners, and they shall fall vnder the slaine: for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

5 ¶ O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staffe in their hand is mine indignation.

6 I will send him against an hypocriticall nation, and against the people of my wrath will I giue him a charge to take the spoile, and to take the praye, and to tread them downe like the mire of the streets.

7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart thinke so, but it is in his heart to destroy, and cut off nations not a few.

8 For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?

9 Is not Calno, as Carchemish? Is not Hamath, as Arpad? Is not Samaria, as Damascus?

10 As my hand hath found the kingdomes of the idoles, and whose grauen images did excell them of Ierusalem and of Samaria:

11 Shall I not, as I haue done vnto Samaria and her idoles, so doe to Ierusalem and her idoles?

12 Wherefore it shall come to passe, that when the Lord hath performed his whole worke vpon mount Zion, and on Ierusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high lookes.

13 For hee saith, By the strength of my hand I haue done it, and by my wisedome, for I am prudent: and I haue remooued the bounds of the people, and haue robbed their treasures, and I haue put downe the inhabitants like a valiant man.

14 And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth egges that are left, haue I gathered all the earth, and there was none that moued the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.

15 Shall the axe boast it selfe against him that heweth therewith? Or shal the sawe magnifie it selfe against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake it selfe against them that lift it vp, or as if the staffe should lift vp it selfe, as if it were no wood.

16 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leannesse, and vnder his glory hee shall kindle a burning, like the burning of a fire.

17 And the light of Israel shall bee for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burne and deuoure his thornes and his briers in one day:

18 And shall consume the glory of his forrest, and of his fruitfull field both soule and body: and they shall bee as when a standerd bearer fainteth.

19 And the rest of the trees of his forrest shall be few, that a child may write them.

20 ¶ And it shal come to passe in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Iacob, shall no more againe stay vpon him that smote them: but shall stay vpon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel in trueth.

21 The remnant shall returne, euen the remnant of Iacob, vnto the mightie God.

22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall returne: the consumption decreed shall ouerflow with righteousnesse.

23 For the Lord God of hostes shall make a consumption, euen determined in the middest of all the land.

24 ¶ Therfore thus saith the Lord God of hostes, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraide of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift vp his staffe against thee, after the maner of Egypt.

25 For yet a very litle while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.

26 And the Lord of hostes shall stirre vp a scourge for him, according to the slaughter of Midian at the rocke Oreb: and as his rod was vpon the Sea, so shall he lift it vp after the manner of Egypt.

27 And it shall come to passe in that day, that his burden shalbe taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy necke, and the yoke shalbe destroyed because of the anointing.

28 He is come to Aiath, hee is passed to Migron: at Michmash he hath laid vp his cariages.

29 They are gone ouer the passage: they haue taken vp their lodging at Geba, Ramah is afraid, Gebeah of Saul is fled.

30 Lift vp thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to bee heard vnto Laish, O poore Anathoth.

31 Madmenah is remooued, the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselues to flee.

32 As yet shall hee remaine at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Ierusalem.

33 Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hostes shall lop the bough with terrour: and the high ones of stature shal be hewen downe, and the haughtie shalbe humbled.

34 And he shall cut downe the thickets of the forrests with yron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mightie one.

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Commentary for Isaiah 10

Woes against proud oppressors. (1-4) The Assyrian but an instrument in the hand of God for the punishment of his people. (5-19) The deliverance from him. (20-34)1-4 These verses are to be joined with the foregoing chapter. Woe to the superior powers that devise and decree unrighteous decrees! And woe to the inferior officers that draw them up, and enter them on record! But what will sinners do? Whither will they flee?

5-19 See what a change sin made. The king of Assyria, in his pride, thought to act by his own will. The tyrants of the world are tools of Providence. God designs to correct his people for their hypocrisy, and bring them nearer to him; but is that Sennacherib's design? No; he designs to gratify his own covetousness and ambition. The Assyrian boasts what great things he has done to other nations, by his own policy and power. He knows not that it is God who makes him what he is, and puts the staff into his hand. He had done all this with ease; none moved the wing, or cried as birds do when their nests are rifled. Because he conquered Samaria, he thinks Jerusalem would fall of course. It was lamentable that Jerusalem should have set up graven images, and we cannot wonder that she was excelled in them by the heathen. But is it not equally foolish for Christians to emulate the people of the world in vanities, instead of keeping to things which are their special honour? For a tool to boast, or to strive against him that formed it, would not be more out of the way, than for Sennacherib to vaunt himself against Jehovah. When God brings his people into trouble, it is to bring sin to their remembrance, and humble them, and to awaken them to a sense of their duty; this must be the fruit, even the taking away of sin. When these points are gained by the affliction, it shall be removed in mercy. This attempt upon Zion and Jerusalem should come to nothing. God will be as a fire to consume the workers of iniquity, both soul and body. The desolation should be as when a standard-bearer fainteth, and those who follow are put to confusion. Who is able to stand before this great and holy Lord God?

20-34 By our afflictions we may learn not to make creatures our confidence. Those only can with comfort stay upon God, who return to him in truth, not in pretence and profession only. God will justly bring this wasting away on a provoking people, but will graciously set bounds to it. It is against the mind and will of God, that his people, whatever happens, should give way to fear. God's anger against his people is but for a moment; and when that is turned from us, we need not fear the fury of man. The rod with which he corrected his people, shall not only be laid aside, but thrown into the fire. To encourage God's people, the prophet puts them in mind of what God had formerly done against the enemies of his church. God's people shall be delivered from the Assyrians. Some think it looks to the deliverance of the Jews out of their captivity; and further yet, to the redemption of believers from the tyranny of sin and Satan. And this, "because of the anointing;" for his people Israel's sake, the believers among them that had received the unction of Divine grace. And for the sake of the Messiah, the Anointed of God. Here is, ver. #28-34|, a prophetical description of Sennacherib's march towards Jerusalem, when he threatened to destroy that city. Then the Lord, in whom Hezekiah trusted, cut down his army like the hewing of a forest. Let us apply what is here written, to like matters in other ages of the church of Christ. Because of the anointing of our great Redeemer, the yoke of every antichrist must be broken from off his church: and if our souls partake of the unction of the Holy Spirit, complete and eternal deliverances will be secured to us.

Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.

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