Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 18:3
All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
3. This verse gives the message which the ambassadors are to carry home to their countrymen, although it concerns all the world as much as the Ethiopians.
Render: when a signal is lifted up when a trumpet is blown. Cf. ch. Isa 13:2. Since the whole process is supernatural it is idle to enquire what the “signal” and “trumpet” signify. The verse is simply a summons to be prepared for the moment of Jehovah’s decisive intervention.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
All ye inhabitants of the world – These are to be regarded as the words of the prophet summoning all nations to attend to that which was about to occur. Grotius, however, and some others, suppose that they are the words of the Ethiopians. The meaning is, that the events which are here predicted would be of so public a nature as to attract the attention of all the world.
When he – Vitringa supposes that this means the Assyrians lifting up a standard on the mountains of Judea. But the better interpretation is that which refers it to the people of Nubia, mustering their forces for war. All nations behold when that people collects an army; sounds the trumpet for war; and arrays its military forces for battle. See then the judgments that God will inflict on them – their discomfiture Isa 18:4-7, and their turning to Yahweh, and sending an offering to him Isa 18:7. According to this interpretation, it will refer to the people making preparation for battle; and perhaps it may mean that they were preparing to join the enemies of Judea – not improbably preparing to join the forces of Sennacherib, and to invade Judea. For this purpose it may have been that the messengers were sent to negotiate the terms of alliance with Sennacherib; and the object of the prophecy is, to assure the Jews that this people, as well as Sennacherib, would be discomfited, and that they would yet bring an offering to God Isa 18:7.
Lifteth up an ensign – A military standard (see the note at Isa 5:26).
And when he bloweth a trumpet – Also a signal for an army to assemble (see the note at Isa 13:2).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 18:3
All ye inhabitants of the world . . . see ye
Missionary exertion
Our whole hope of success rests on the prophecies of the Word of God, declaring it to be His will.
We must first accurately examine what is the object we have in view, for if it be not in unison with the prophets it must be disappointed.
I. THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT ON THIS SUBJECT. What does that give us reason to expect under the present dispensation? An elect Church, though in one sense it is called an universal Church, because it is gathered out of all nations on the earth.
II. THE EXPERIENCE OF THE CHURCH AS STRENGTHENING THIS ARGUMENT. For long years the Gospel has been preached, and what is the result? But is it not written in the Scriptures that all flesh shall see the salvation of God, etc.? Do we not, then, rightly expect the conversion of all the people on the earth? Yes, it is written, and shall come to pass. But the means are also written, and the time. What are the means? What is the time? All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye! When? When He lifteth up an ensign on the mountains, and when He bloweth a trumpet, hear ye! I will read you an extract from a missionary sermon preached by Dr. Buchanan shortly before his death: The ensign to be lifted up is the Jewish Church restored to Zion; and the Gospel trumpet is to be sounded by Jewish missionaries, for to them is reserved the evangelising of the heathen. But before this will be the coming of the Son of God. (Hugh MNeile, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 3. When he lifteth up an ensign – “When the standard is lifted up”] I take God to be the Agent in this verse; and that by the standard and the trumpet are meant the meteors, the thunder, the lightning, the storm, earthquake, and tempest, by which Sennacherib’s army shall be destroyed, or by which at least the destruction of it shall be accompanied; as it is described in Isa 10:16-17; Isa 29:6, and Isa 30:30-31. See also Ps 76:1-12, and the title of it, according to the Septuagint, Vulgate and AEthiopic. They are called, by a bold metaphor, the standard lifted up, and the trumpet sounded. The latter is used by Homer, I think with great force, in his introduction to the battle of the gods; though I find it has disgusted some of the minor critics: –
‘ ,
.
Il. xxi. 388.
“Heaven in loud thunders bids the trumpet sound,
And wide beneath them groans the rending ground.”
POPE.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
See ye; take notice of what I say and God will do. Or, ye shall see it; you shall be eye-witnesses of this dreadful woe or judgment which I am bringing upon the people of whom I have spoken: The prophet doth in a manner summon all nations to bear witness of his prophecy, and of the accomplishment thereof.
When he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains, and when he bloweth a trumpet; when God shall gather together the nations, as it were, by the lifting up of an ensign, or by the sound of a trumpet, to execute his judgments upon this people. Heb. as when a man
lifts up an ensign upon the mountains, which men can easily see; and as when a man sounds a trumpet, they can hear: no less visible and manifest shall this judgment of God be.
Hear ye; ye shall hear it, as in the other branch.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. see ye . . . hear yerather,”ye shall see . . . shall hear.” Call to the whole earth tobe witnesses of what Jehovah (“He”) is aboutto do. He will “lift up an ensign,” calling the Assyrianmotley hosts together (Isa 5:26)on “the mountains” round Jerusalem, to their owndestruction. This (the eighteenthchapter) declares the coming overthrow of those armies whosepresence is announced in Isa 17:12;Isa 17:13. The same motive, whichled Hezekiah to seek aid from Egypt, led him to accept gladly theEthiopian Tirhakah’s aid (Isa 36:6;Isa 37:9). Ethiopia, Egypt, andJudea were probably leagued together against the common enemy, 713B.C. See notes on thetwenty-second chapter, where adifference of tone (as referring to a different period) as toEthiopia is observable. HORSLEYtakes the “ensign” to be the cross, and the “trumpet”the Gospel trumpet, which shall be sounded more loudly in thelast days.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth,…. All the men of the world are here called upon, either by the Lord, or rather by the prophet, to be eye and ear witnesses of the judgment that should be inflicted upon the above nation, and of the salvation of his own people; which should be so manifest, that all should see it as easily as an ensign set up on a mountain; and the news of it should ring through the earth, and be as plainly heard as when a trumpet is blown: unless it should be thought that these are the words of the messengers sent to the above nation, addressing them in such terms, assuring them, that, however stupid and secure they were now, they should quickly see the sign and hear the alarm of war; it being usual to call any large kingdom the world, and the earth:
see ye, when be lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; or ye shall see this as clearly as when a flag is set up on a mountain; or ye shall be sensible of this judgment coming on, when a standard shall be set up on the mountains, to gather the people to war. Vitringa interprets this of the mountains of Judea, where the Assyrians would set up their banners, and blow their trumpets, as follows:
and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye; or, “ye shall hear”; the trumpet sounding as an alarm of war, by which the people will be summoned, and come to execute the judgment threatened. The Targum is,
“ye shall hear the redemption;”
that is, of Israel, in the times of the Messiah, and in the war of Gog and Magog; of which times Jarchi and Kimchi interpret this whole prophecy.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3. All ye inhabitants of the world. He shews that this work of God will be so manifestly excellent as to draw the attention not only of the Jews but of all nations.
When he shall lift up an ensign on the mountains, you will see it. (17) These words, which are in the future tense, are rendered by some, agreeably to the custom of Scripture, in the imperative mood; (18) but it is better to view them as denoting what is future. It is as if he had said that the most distant nations will be witnesses of this destruction, because not only will the ensign be beheld by all, but the sound of the trumpets will be heard throughout the whole world. This will plainly shew that the war did not originate with men, but with God himself, who will prove himself to be the author of it by remarkable tokens. When wars are carried on, every one sees clearly what is done; but the greater part of men ascribe the beginning and end of them to chance. On the other hand, Isaiah shews that all these things ought to be ascribed to God, because he will display his power in a new and extraordinary manner; for sometimes he works so as to conceal his hand and to prevent his work from being perceived by men, but sometimes he displays his hand in such a manner that all are constrained to acknowledge it; and that is what the Prophet meant.
(17) Bogus footnote
(18) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) When he lifteth up an ensign . . .Both clauses are better taken as indefinite, when an ensign is set up . . . when a trumpet is sounded. The prophet calls on all nations (Ethiopia being specially included) to watch for the signal that shall be given, distinct as the beacon-fire on the hill, or the alarm of the trumpet, to proclaim the downfall of Assyria.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. See ye, when, etc. The picture takes in the prophet as saying to all the people in those far lands, “Be ready when ye shall see the signal raised on the mountains; note it, when the trumpet shall sound; listen, and be on the alert.” The prophet’s alarm is in the interest of Judah, or, which is the same thing, of Jehovah’s cause. The passage-way of the armies of the rival empires lay through Judah, now a dependent of Egypt, on account of which dependence Judah is to suffer if Assyria prevails. The implied prediction is, that God is about to deliver the world from the all-conquering might of Assyria.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 18:3. All ye inhabitants We have here the declaration made to the other people of the world to expect the fall of the Assyrian. God invites all the people of the earth to this sight; that as soon as they should observe the sign appointed by God, namely, the standards lifted up on the mountains of Judaea, and the sound of the trumpets of the hostile army preparing to besiege Jerusalem, they should attend to the execution of this divine judgment. When he lifteth up, seems undoubtedly to mean the commander of this great army, or Sennacherib. Vitringa.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Here the Lord soundeth an alarm to, all the enemies of his Church; and they are admonished to attend to the sound of the trumpet, that then the Lord goeth forth for the salvation of his people, even for salvation with his Anointed. Every eye shall see, and all faces shall gather blackness, when the Lord turneth back the captivity of his people. And observe how striking is the prophet’s expression: for so the Lord said unto me. Christ is the rest, in which Jehovah resteth, and is well pleased: and therefore in him, and his great salvation, Israel’s deliverance and security is found. And hence, when the Lord swore in his wrath, that the unbelievers should not enter into his rest, it referred to their rejection of Christ; Heb 4:1 , to the end.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 18:3 All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
Ver. 3. All the inhabitants of the world, see ye. ] Or, Ye shall see when he lifteth up a banner on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, ye shall hear – i.e., ye shall shortly see the Assyrians returning from the conquest of the Ethiopian with glory and great joy; but what will the Lord do the while?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
He =. Jehovah. See Structure, above.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
All ye: Isa 1:2, Psa 49:1, Psa 49:2, Psa 50:1, Jer 22:29, Mic 6:2
see ye: Isa 5:26, Isa 7:18, Isa 13:2, Isa 13:4, Isa 26:11, Amo 3:6-8, Mic 6:9, Zec 9:14, Mat 13:9, Mat 13:16
Reciprocal: Num 2:2 – the ensign Num 10:9 – then ye shall Isa 11:12 – set up Isa 27:13 – the great Isa 31:9 – he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear Isa 33:13 – Hear Isa 34:1 – Come Isa 62:10 – go through Isa 66:19 – I will set Jer 49:14 – an ambassador Jer 51:27 – ye up Hos 8:1 – the trumpet Oba 1:1 – and an Zec 6:8 – quieted 1Co 15:52 – last
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 18:3. All ye inhabitants of the world, &c,, see ye Take notice of what I say, and what God will do: Or, Ye shall see. We have here the declaration made to the other people of the world, to expect the fall of the Assyrian. God invites all the people of the earth to this sight; that, as soon as they should observe the sign appointed by God, namely, the standards lifted up by Sennacherib, on the mountains of Judea, and the sound of the trumpets of the hostile army preparing to besiege Jerusalem, they should attend to the execution of this divine judgment. Vitringa.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
18:3 All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when {f} he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.
(f) When the Lord prepared to fight against the Ethiopians.