Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 14:30
And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.
30. While Philistia is utterly destroyed, Israel enjoys perfect security under Jehovah’s protection (see Isa 14:32).
the firstborn of the poor ] must be explained as a superlative “the poorest of the poor.” But many commentators prefer, by slightly altering the word for “firstborn,” to read “in my meadow the poor shall feed” (cf. Isa 30:23).
he shall slay ] In spite of the change of person, the subject is still Jehovah, not the Assyrian. Or the verb might be equivalent to a passive, as in R.V. (“shall be slain”).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And the first-born of the poor shall feed – That is, there shall be safety to those parts of Judah which have long been exposed to the invasions of the Philistines. Philistia bordered on Judea, and was constantly making wars upon it, so that there was no safety felt. Isaiah now says, that Hezekiah would so effectually and completely subdue them that there should be no danger from their invasion. The phrase the first-born of the poor is an Hebraism, a strong, emphatic expression, denoting those who are the most poor; the most abject sons of poverty; those who have an eminence or a double portion of need, as the first-born among the Hebrews were entitled to special distinctions and privileges. The idea is, that even the most poor and defenseless would be safe.
Shall feed – That is, they shall be supplied with food; they shall feed safely as a flock does that is guarded from wild beasts. They shall be no longer alarmed, but shall dwell in security, peace, and plenty.
And I will kill thy root – The word rendered root denotes properly the root of a plant, which being dried up or killed, the plant of course withers and dies. So God says that he would effectually and entirely destroy the power of the Philistines.
Slay thy remnant – That is, shall slay all that pertains to thee. Or, he shall dry up the root, and the branches shall wither and die also. The whole power of the nation shall be withered and destroyed.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 30. And the first-born of the poor, c.] The Targum goes on applying all to the Messiah. “And the poor of the people shall he feed, and the humble shall dwell securely in his days: and he shall kill thy children with famine, and the remnant of thy people shall he slay.”
I will kill – “He will slay”] The Septuagint reads hemith, in the third person, and so the Chaldee. The Vulgate remedies the confusion of persons in the present text, by reading both the verbs in the first person.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The first-born of the poor; the people of the Jews, who are brought to extreme poverty by the cruelty and the malice of other enemies. The first-born were the chief of all the children. Hence the title of first-born is given to persons or things which are most eminent in their kinds, as to the people of Israel, Exo 4:22, to David, Psa 89:27, to a grievous death, Job 18:13, and here to persons eminently poor.
Shall feed; shall have plenty of provisions, in spite of all thine attempts against them.
I will kill thy root; I will utterly destroy thee both root and branch, so that there shall not be a remnant of thy people reserved, as it follows. It is a metaphor from a tree, which for want of nourishment is dried up by the roots.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
30. first-born of . . .poorHebraism, for the most abject poor; the first-bornbeing the foremost of the family. Compare “first-born of death”(Job 18:13), for the mostfatal death. The Jews, heretofore exposed to Philistineinvasions and alarms, shall be in safety. Compare Ps72:4, “Children of the needy,” expressing those “needyin condition.”
feedimage from a flockfeeding in safety.
rootradicaldestruction.
He shall slayJehovahshall. The change of person, “He” after “I,” is acommon Hebraism.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the firstborn of the poor shall feed,…. That is, the Jews, who were brought very low in the times of Ahaz, reduced to the greatest straits and difficulties; for so the word “firstborn” may signify the chief, or those who were of all the poorest, and in the greatest distress; these, in the times of Hezekiah, shall enjoy abundance of good things, and under his gentle government shall feed like a flock of sheep in good pastures; this signifying, that though he should be like a serpent, harmful to his enemies, yet should be kind and tender unto, and take great care of his own subjects, and under whom they should have great plenty and prosperity:
and the needy shall lie down in safety; like a flock of sheep, secure from beasts of prey, under the care of a faithful and vigilant shepherd; this shows that the Jews should not only have plenty of good things, but should live in the greatest security, without fear of any enemy, or danger from them:
and I will kill thy root with famine; this is said to Palestine, compared to a tree, whose root is dried up for want of moisture, and so dies; and the meaning is, that a sore famine should rage in their country, and utterly destroy them:
and he shall slay thy remnant: that is, Hezekiah should slay with the sword those that were left of the famine.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The coming Davidic king is peace for Israel, but for Philistia death. “And the poorest of the poor will feed, and needy ones lie down in peace; and I kill thy root through hunger, and he slays thy remnant.” “The poorest of the poor:” b e core dallim is an intensified expression for b e ne dallim , the latter signifying such as belong to the family of the poor, the former (cf., Job 18:13, mors dirissima) such as hold the foremost rank in such a family – a description of Israel, which, although at present deeply, very deeply, repressed and threatened on every side, would then enjoy its land in quietness and peace (Zep 3:12-13). In this sense is used absolutely; and there is no necessity for Hupfeld’s conjecture ( Ps. ii. 258), that we should read (in my pastures). Israel rises again, but Philistia perishes even to a root and remnant; and the latter again falls a victim on the one hand to the judgment of God (famine), and on the other to the punishment inflicted by the house of David. The change of persons in Isa 14:30 is no synallage; but the subject to yaharog (slays) is the basilisk, the father of the flying dragon. The first strophe of the massah terminates here. It consists of eight lines, each of the two Masoretic Isa 14:29, Isa 14:30 containing four clauses.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
30. And the first-born of the poor shall feed. The Prophet, as has been already said, has not so much in view the Philistines, to whom his threatenings were of no avail, as the Jews, whom he wished to comfort in their affliction; for they were so grievously afflicted that they were not far from despair. He therefore calls them the first-born of the poor, as being eminent for their wretchedness; for, being reduced to extremities, they held the first rank among the wretched. Now, he promises that the Lord will deliver them from such misery, and will again feed and nourish them. Hence we perceive that the Philistines were cut down and destroyed for the benefit of the people of God. In like manner, also, the Lord promised to Abraham and his posterity, I will bless them that bless thee, and I will curse them that curse thee; for those who are hostile to the children of God must find that God is hostile to them. (Gen 12:3.)
And the needy shall lie down in safety. The Prophet compares his people to sheep, whom we must resemble, if we wish to have God for our keeper. No metaphor is more frequently employed in Scripture than this. When the Lord chastises us, we are like sheep that are scattered, and exposed to wolves and robbers; but when he punishes our enemies, he intends to gather us together again, that we may dwell in a safe and quiet place. This is what Isaiah means when he says, in safety. There are therefore two things which the Lord here promises; first, pastures, that is, everything that is necessary for food and raiment; and, secondly, safety and protection, that we may be protected and defended from every injury. These two things belong to the duty of a shepherd, and they include all that is necessary for our salvation.
And I will kill thy root with famine. He now turns to the Philistines, whom he compares to a tree which strikes its roots so deep that we would be apt to think that it cannot in any way be rooted out. But if the root be dried up, the tree also, however deeply laid, must decay. Hence we ought to infer that the condition of the wicked is never so firmly established that the Lord cannot easily overturn it; for not only will he cut off branches, but he will also dry up and destroy the root which is hidden under ground.
And he will slay thy remnant. This is commonly viewed as referring to Hezekiah; but I prefer, as I have already explained, to extend it to the whole body, of which he speaks as of one man, and of which the king was the head, and represented Christ himself. We might also refer it to the Assyrians, and to any others, whose agency the Lord employed in destroying the Philistines; for it is customary with the Jews to employ indefinite language when they speak of the agents by means of whom God executes his judgments.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(30) And the firstborn of the poor shall feed.As the children of the needy in Psa. 72:4 are simply the poor as a class, so the firstborn are those who, as it were, inherit the double portion, not of riches, but of poverty. (Comp. the firstborn of death in Job. 18:13.) The people spoken of are those of Judah, which in the days of Ahaz had been brought very low (2Ch. 28:19). For these the prophet foretells a time of plenty; not so for Philistia. Either through the sieges of their towns or the devastation of their fields, they would be reduced to the last extremities of famine. With them there should be no remnant to return.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
30. Firstborn of the poor Or, sons of the poor,
God’s own the lowly; here, his true people in Judah.
Feed lie down The figures are from a flock of sheep shall feed quietly, undisturbed by Philistine skirmishes.
Thy root Compare Amo 2:9.
Slay thy remnant Make a radical destruction of thee.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 14:30. And the first-born of the poor In these words we have the consequence of the destruction of the Philistines to be effected by Hezekiah, and a more distinct declaration of the judgment itself. The consequence was to be the secure and peaceful habitation of Judah, in those parts especially which had been long exposed to the incursions and depredations of this hostile nation; and for this very reason the prophet calls these inhabitants of Judaea poor and needy; denoting the husbandmen, under the reign of Ahaz, exhausted and reduced to the greatest distress, as God, under that impious prince, had delivered them up to desolation. 2Ch 30:7. But, every where emphatical in his expressions, the prophet calls them the first-born of the poor; that is to say, the very poorest. So in Job, the first-born of death, is the most violent and terrible of deaths, chap. Job 18:13. Some think, that by the root and the remnant are meant the nobles and the vulgar. Vitringa is of opinion, that the two words mean the same thing; as a root, when the branches are cut off, is that alone which remains of the tree; and that the prophet alludes to the weakening of the Philistines by the Assyrians, and the cutting off the remnant of them by Hezekiah. See Isa 14:22 and 2Ch 32:23; 2Ch 32:33 where the felicity of the reign of Hezekiah after the overthrow of the Assyrian in the land of Canaan is related. The time of this destruction of the Philistines was, according to Vitringa, after the overthrow of Sennacherib.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa 14:30 And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.
Ver. 30. And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, ] i.e., God’s poor people shall; who though never so poor – as they were at a very low ebb under Ahaz – were God’s “firstborn,” and, in that respect, “higher than the kings of the earth.” Psa 89:27
And I will kill thy root.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
firstborn of the poor = the poorest of the poor. Hebrew idiom. Hebrew. dal, impoverished, reduced. See Isa 11:4. This looks forward to the fulfilment by Messiah (Isa 14:32).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the firstborn: Job 18:13
the poor: Isa 5:17, Isa 7:21, Isa 7:22, Isa 30:23, Isa 30:24, Isa 33:16, Isa 37:30, Isa 65:13, Isa 65:14
and I: Jer 47:1-7, Eze 25:15-17, Joe 3:4-8, Amo 1:6-8, Zep 2:4-7, Zec 9:5-7
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 14:30. And the firstborn of the poor Those who are most remarkably poor; shall feed Shall have plenty of provisions, in spite of all thy attempts against them. The same Hezekiah, who shall be such a scourge to thee, Palestina, shall be a mild and gracious governor to his own subjects; he shall take care of them as a shepherd does of his flock, and relieve those who were oppressed in his fathers time. It is probable, that the inhabitants of the southern parts of Judea, who were particularly exposed to the incursions of the Philistines, the Idumeans, and the Arabs, are chiefly meant here by the firstborn of the poor: and concerning these the prophet foretels, that under Hezekiahs government they should have food and security for themselves and flocks. And I will kill thy root, &c. When the root is killed, the plant or tree is wholly destroyed. The meaning therefore is, I will utterly destroy thee, both root and branch, so that there shall be no remnant of thy people reserved, as it follows. This utter extirpation of the Philistines, here threatened, was begun by Hezekiah, and was completed by famine and various calamities, which came upon them afterward.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
14:30 And the {s} firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and {t} he shall slay thy remnant.
(s) The Israelites who were brought to most extreme misery.
(t) That is, my people.