Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 32:14
Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens forever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;
14. Render: For the palace is forsaken, the tumult of the city is a solitude (as in ch. Isa 6:12), &c. The tenses are prophetic perfects.
the forts and towers ] Better as in R.V.: the hill and the watch tower. The first word is ‘Ophel, the name of the southern projection of the hill on which the temple stood (Neh 3:26 f., Neh 11:21; 2Ch 27:3; 2Ch 33:14), and is doubtless mentioned as the aristocratic quarter of the city, near the royal palace. The word translated “watch tower” occurs nowhere else, and is of uncertain significance; probably, like Ophel, it denotes a particular locality in the capital.
The phrase for ever must be understood in a relative sense, being restricted by the “until” of Isa 32:15.
The verse contains an absolute and explicit prediction of the complete overthrow of Jerusalem. Dillmann’s assertion that such an expectation must have been expressed in different language is inexplicable, and his distinction between destruction and desolation is sophistical. Surprising as this idea may be alongside of certain passages in this section of the book, it is not to be explained away, and after all it does not go very much beyond what is said in ch. Isa 29:4. For a complete parallel, however, we must go back to the early prophecy of ch. Isa 5:14; Isa 5:17.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Because the palaces shall be forsaken – That is, the palaces in the cities and towns which Sennacherib would lay waste. Or, if it refers, as Lowth supposes, to the invasion of the land in the time of the Chaldeans, then it relates to the palaces in Jerusalem. Vitringa supposes that the temple at Jerusalem is particularly designated by the word rendered palaces. But that is not the usual word to denote the temlple, and it is not necessary to suppose that that is particularly referred to. The word ‘armon usually denotes a palace, or royal residence in some part of the royal citadel (see 1Ki 16:18; Isa 25:2; Jer 30:18; Amo 1:4, Amo 1:7, Amo 1:10, Amo 1:12).
The forts – Margin, Cliffs and watch-towers. Hebrew, opel. This word properly denotes a hill or a cliff, such as is an advantageous situation for fortresses. It is translated in Mic 4:8, the stronghold; in 2Ki 5:24, the tower; in 2Ch 27:3; 2Ch 30:14; Neh 3:27; Neh 11:21, Ophel. With the article (the hill) it was given, by way of eminence, to a bluff or hilt lying northeast of mount Zion, and south of mount Moriah, which was surrounded and fortified with a wall (Jos. Jewish Wars, vi. 6). It extends south from mount Moriah, running down to the fountain of Siloam, lying between the valley of Jehoshaphat on the east, and the Tyropeon or valley of Cheesemongers on the west. It terminates over the pool of Siloam in a steep point of rock forty or fifty feet high. The top of the ridge is flat, and the ground is now tilled, and planted with olive and other fruit trees (see Robinsons Bib. Researches, vol. i. pp. 341, 394). It may be used here, however, to denote a hill or cliff, a strongly-fortified place in general, without supposing of necessity that it refers to the mountain in Jerusalem.
Towers – Towers were erected on the walls of cities at convenient distances for purposes of observation.
Shall be for dens – Shall become places where banditti and robbers may abide, and secure themselves.
Forever – This is evidently one instance in which the word forever ( ad–olam), denotes a long time, because in the verse When the word is used without any suet limitation, it denotes proper eternity
A joy of wild asses – A place where wild animals will have unlimited range.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 14. The palaces shall be forsaken] The house of the sanctuary (the temple) shall be destroyed. – Targum.
The forts – “Ophel”] It was a part of Mount Zion, rising higher than the rest, at the eastern extremity, near to the temple, a little to the south of it; called by Micah, Mic 4:8, “Ophel of the daughter of Zion.” It was naturally strong by its situation; and had a wall of its own, by which it was separated from the rest of Zion.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The palaces, Heb. the palace; the kings house, and other magnificent buildings in the city.
Shall be left; or rather, shall be forsaken, to wit, of God, and given up into their enemies hands. And the verb in the foregoing clause may be rendered, shall be left.
A joy of wild asses; desolate places, in which wild asses delight to be, Job 39:5,6; Jer 2:24.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
14. palacesmost applicable toJerusalem (see on Isa 32:13).
multitude . . . leftthenoisy din of the city, that is, the city with its noisy multitudeshall lie forsaken [MAURER].
fortsrather, “Ophel”(that is, the mound), the term applied specially to the declivity onthe east of Zion, surrounded with its own wall (2Ch 27:3;2Ch 33:14; 2Ki 5:24),and furnished with “towers” (or watchtowers), perhapsreferred to here (Neh 3:26;Neh 3:27).
for everlimited bythee, “until,” &c., Isa32:15, for a long time.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Because the palaces shall be forsaken,…. The palaces of the princes and nobles shall be forsaken by them, they being obliged to flee from the enemy, or being taken, and either slain, or carried captive. The word in the Hebrew is in the singular number, “the palace”, meaning the royal palace; and so Aben Ezra and Jarchi interpret it of the king’s palace; though the Targum paraphrases it the house of the sanctuary, or the temple, so Kimchi; which was left desolate, as Christ foretold it should be, Mt 23:38:
the multitude of the city shall be left; to take care of themselves, and to the fury of their enemies, their princes and nobles being killed or fled; or, “the city shall be left of the multitude” p; the multitude of inhabitants that were in it shall forsake it, and flee, or be destroyed in it, so that few or none shall remain:
the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever; Ophel and Bachan, which some take to be the names of two towers of Jerusalem; of Ophel we read in 2Ch 27:3 but rather these intend in general the high towers and strong fortifications of Jerusalem, which being cut out of rocks, when demolished served for dens for thieves and robbers, and wild creatures; and this being “for ever”, that is, for a very long time, shows that it cannot be applied to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, and the seventy years’ captivity; but it is to be understood of the last destruction, which continues unto this day:
a joy of wild asses; which delight in wild and desert places; see
Job 39:5
a pasture of flocks; where flocks of sheep feed, instead of being inhabited by men. Jarchi’s note is pretty remarkable,
“for the desire, or at the will, of the Ishmaelites, and for the feeding of the Grecians, and their army;”
and certain it is that Jerusalem now is in the hands of the Ishmaelites, or Turks. The Targum is,
“the place which was a house of joy and gladness for kings is now become a spoil for armies.”
p So Gataker.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
14. For the palace shall be forsaken. Here also he describes more fully the desolation of the country; for, having mentioned in the former verse magnificent houses, he now likewise adds palaces and cities, so as to shew that there is nothing, however splendid and illustrious, that is exempted from that calamity. We see that men are dazzled by their own splendor, till they lift up their eyes to heaven; and the consequence is, that they are soothed to sleep in the midst of their wealth, and dread nothing. He therefore declares that all that was splendid, magnificent, and lofty, in Judea, cities, palaces, bulwarks, fortresses, all will be brought to nothing. When he says for ever, he again gives warning, as he formerly did, that this calamity will not last only for a single day, but that, as they had been long hardened in their vices, so it will be of long duration; for, if they had been punished only for a short time, being obstinate and intractable, they would quickly have relapsed into their natural disposition.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(14) The palaces shall be forsaken.With a bold pencil and rapid strokes the picture of desolation is sketched in outline. The forts are those of Ophel (so in Heb.), the fortified south-eastern slope of the Temple mountain; the towers, probably such as the tower of the flock, mentioned in conjunction with Ophel in Mic. 4:8. These would serve as dens for the wild asses, which commonly roved in the open country.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 32:14 Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;
Ver. 14. The multitude of the city shall be left. ] For the city shall be left of its multitude.
The forts and towers.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
forsaken = neglected.
left. See note on “forsake”, Isa 1:4.
forever. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Whole), Put for a prolonged period. Note the limitation by the word “until” in the next verse.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the palaces: Isa 5:9, Isa 24:1-3, Isa 24:10, Isa 24:12, Isa 25:2, Isa 27:10, 2Ki 25:9, Luk 21:20, Luk 21:24
forts and towers: or, clifts and watch-towers
for: Isa 13:19-22, Isa 34:11-17, Rev 18:2, Rev 18:3
Reciprocal: Lev 26:32 – And I Job 39:5 – the wild Psa 104:30 – sendest Isa 5:6 – I will lay Isa 5:17 – shall the lambs Isa 30:25 – when Isa 34:13 – thorns Isa 62:4 – shalt no Jer 6:5 – let us destroy Jer 25:37 – General Jer 52:27 – Thus Lam 5:18 – the foxes Eze 6:6 – the cities Eze 25:5 – a stable Hos 2:3 – as Mic 6:9 – Lord’s Zep 1:16 – and against