Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 32:19
When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.
19. The verse reads: And it shall hail at the falling of the forest, and in lowliness shall the city be laid low. According to most commentators the “forest” is a symbol for Assyria, as in ch. Isa 10:18 f., 33 f. But this is suggested by nothing in the context, and the “city” in the next line cannot be Nineveh, which is never referred to by Isaiah, and is far from his thoughts here. The verse as a whole must (if genuine) be taken as an announcement of judgment on Jerusalem; but it comes in so awkwardly between Isa 32:18 ; Isa 32:20, that it may not unreasonably be regarded as an interpolation. On the “hail” as a synonym for Divine judgment see ch. Isa 28:2; Isa 28:17, Isa 30:30.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
When it shall hail – Hebrew, barad beredeth – And it shall hail in coming down. There is a paranomasia in the original here, which cannot be expressed in a translation – a figure of speech, which, as we have seen, is common in Isaiah. Hail is an image of divine vengeance or punishment; and the reference here is, doubtless, to the storms of indignation that would come on the enemies of the Jews, particularly on the Assyrians (see the notes at Isa 30:30).
Coming down on the forest – Coming down on the army of the Assyrian, which is here called a forest. The same term forest is given to the army of the Assyrians in Isa 10:18-19, Isa 10:33-34. The sense is, that the divine judgment would come down on that army with as much severity as a storm of hail descends on a forest – stripping the leaves from the trees, destroying its beauty, and laying it waste.
And the city – According to Gesenius, this is Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire. According to Rosenmuller, Grotius, and others, it is Babylon. Hensler supposes that it is Jerusalem, and that the sense is, that as a city that is situated in a valley is safe when the storm and tempest sweep over the hills, so would it be to Jerusalem when the storm of wrath should sweep away the army of the Assyrian. But the connection evidently requires us to understand it of the capital of the enemy; though whether it be Nineveh or Babylon perhaps cannot be determined.
Shall be low in a low place – Margin, Utterly abased. Hebrew, In humility shall be humbled. The sense is, shall be completely prostrate. Those who refer this to Jerusalem suppose it refers to the time when God should humble it by bringing the enemy so near, and exciting so much consternation and alarm. Those who refer it to Babylon suppose it relates to its destruction. If referred to Nineveh, it must mean when the pride of the capital of the Assyrian empire should be iratabled by the complete overthrow of their army, and the annihilation of their hopes. The connection seems to require us to adopt this latter interpretation. The whole verse is very obscure; but perhaps the above will express its general sense.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. The city shall be low in a low place. – “The city shall be laid level with the plain.”] For ubashephelah, the Syriac reads ukeshephelah. The city – probably Nineveh or Babylon: but this verse is very obscure. Saltus; Assyriorum regnum: civitas; magnifica Assyriorum castra. Ephrem Syr. in loc. For ubarad, a MS. has vaiyered; and so conjectured Abp. Secker, referring to Zec 11:2.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
When it shall hail, coming down on the forest, Heb. And it shall hail, &c. As my blessings shall be poured down upon my people, who from a wilderness are turned into a fruitful field, as it is said, Isa 32:15; so my wrath and judgments (which are signified by hail, Isa 28:2,17, and elsewhere) shall fall upon them, who were a fruitful field, but are turned into a forest, as was said, Isa 32:15, i.e. upon the unbelieving and rebellious Jews, who seem there to be designed under that notion.
The city; either,
1. Babylon, the great enemy and oppressor of Gods people. Or,
2. Jerusalem, which, though now it was the seat of Gods worship and people, yet he foresaw by the Spirit of prophecy that it would be the great enemy of the Messiah, and of Gods people.
Shall be low in a low place, Heb. shall be humbled with humiliation; which by an ordinary Hebraism signifies, shall be greatly humbled, or brought very low.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19. Literally, “But itshall hail with coming down of the forest, and in lowness shall thecity (Nineveh) be brought low; that is, humbled.” The “hail”is Jehovah’s wrathful visitation (Isa 30:30;Isa 28:2; Isa 28:17).The “forest” is the Assyrian host, dense as the trees of aforest (Isa 10:18; Isa 10:19;Isa 10:33; Isa 10:34;Zec 11:2).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
When it shall hail, coming down on the forest,…. The people of God will be peaceable and quiet, safe and secure, when the judgments of God, signified by a “hail” storm, shall come upon antichrist, and the antichristian states, intended by the “forest”, both for their numbers, and for their barrenness and unfruitfulness; see Re 16:21 and as so it sometimes is, by the disposition of divine Providence, that a storm of hail falls not upon fields and gardens, and the fruits of the earth, but upon forests and desert lands; and as the plague of hail fell upon the Egyptians, and not upon the Israelites in Goshen, to which some think the allusion is here; so will it be when God comes to take vengeance on the enemies of his people:
and the city shall be low in a low place: meaning not the city of Jerusalem, surrounded with mountains, built under hills, and so under the wind, and not exposed to the fury of a storm; but rather Babylon, built in a plain, in a low plain, and yet should be brought lower still; mystical Babylon is here meant, the city of Rome, that should “in humiliation be humbled”, as the words may be rendered, that is, brought very low, exceeding low; see Isa 26:5 and which, at the time of the great hail, will be divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations shall fall, and Babylon be had in remembrance by the Lord to destroy it, Re 16:19.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
19. And the hail. We have already said that the prophets are accustomed frequently to describe under figures the reign of Christ; for they borrow their metaphors from an earthly kingdom, because our ignorance would make it almost impossible for us to comprehend, in any other way, the unspeakable treasure of blessings. The meaning is, “The Lord will remove from his people distresses and annoyances, and will make them fall on others;” because here we are liable to various storms and tempests, and must endure rain, hail, showers, winds, and tempests. He says that God, by his wonderful providence, will prevent all distresses from doing any injury to believers, because he will drive their violence in another direction.
By forests he means unfrequented and desert places, where there are no crowds of men. Hence we learn that, when we are under the guardianship of Christ, we are protected from inconveniences and dangers, but that, at the same time, various storms and tempests are ready to burst on our heads. But the Lord is our deliverer, who turns away in another direction the evils that are approaching, or rescues us when we are in danger.
And the city shall be situated to a low place. (344) In order to confirm what he had said about peace, he says, that “cities,” which shall be situated on level ground, will be out of danger; for at that time it was customary to build on high and elevated places, that the access to them might be more difficult. “Such,” says he, “will be God’s protection of his people, that they will not need the ordinary fortifications, because the city may be safely set down in valleys; and even although it be liable to the attacks of enemies, it will sustain no inconvenience, for the hand of the Lord will protect it.” We must not therefore seek safety by relying on our defences, lest we be immediately driven from our nest; but since our heavenly Father deigns to provide for our safety, let us be satisfied with having him for our protector and guardian. (345)
(344) Bogus footnote
(345) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(19) When it shall hail, coming down on the forest.Better, But it shall hail. A time of sharp judgment, hailstones and coals of fire, is to precede that of blessedness and peace. Of such a judgment hail was the natural symbol. (Comp. Isa. 30:30; Eze. 13:13.) The forest stands in the symbolism of prophecy for the rulers and princes of any kingdom, as in Isa. 10:34 for those of Assyria, and here probably of Judah. Not a few commentators refer the words here also to Assyria, but the city that follows is clearly Jerusalem, and the interpretation given above harmonises accordingly better with the context. Of that city Isaiah says that it shall be brought down to a low estate, its pride humbled even to the ground, in order that it may afterwards be exalted.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. It shall hail, coming down on the forest That is, the fierce storm shall overthrow it. Hail storms in Palestine are fearful agencies of destruction. Note the scenes under Joshua at Beth-horon, and at Megiddo under Barak. Jos 10:11; Jdg 5:20. And the city, etc. If this verse is in its right place, it is another case of a sudden mental association, in the mind of the prophet, with the destroying power, Assyria. Assyria is to destroy Judah as an event ordered to precede this beginning of spiritual renovation of redeemed Israel. “The forest,” then, denotes the degenerated children of Judah, and “the city,” is destroyed Jerusalem. In the same mental association, Assyria, as a destroying power, covers the seat of that power throughout the Euphrates valley; it ideally includes the same power transferred to Babylon. The verse would seem to be a parenthetic interruption to the course of thought in this place.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 32:19. When it shall hail The prophet having, in the preceding verses, set forth the felicity of the church restored, could not pass by the divine judgment upon its enemies. By the decent, or foot of the forest, we understand that track of country which was beneath mount Libanus, and usually called Syria, together with the great cities situated in and about that valley; and the meaning of the prophet is, that the enemies of the people of God, such as the Syrians and Babylonians, who are to be considered also as types of the enemies of the church of Christ, should be punished by the divine judgments at that time when God should procure peace for his church.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa 32:19 When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.
Ver. 19. When it shall hail, coming down on the forest. ] When reprobates – here compared to a forest or tall wood – shall be hail beaten, that is, grievously plagued, as those Egyptians once were, Exo 9:22 ; Exo 9:26 it shall be hale, or well, with the elect. The Church, as a city that standeth in a low bottom, is secure and safe, her afflictions also working together for her good. In humbling her, God remembereth her, for his mercy endureth for ever. Psa 136:23
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
hail, coming down. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia, for emphasis. Hebrew. ubarad beredeth; Eng. hail hailing.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
it shall: Isa 25:4, Isa 28:2, Isa 28:17, Isa 30:30, Isa 37:24, Exo 9:18-26, Eze 13:11-13, Mat 7:25, Rev 8:7
on the: Zec 11:2
the city shall be low: or, the city shall be utterly abased, Isa 14:22, Isa 14:23, Isa 26:5, Nah 1:1, Nah 1:8, Nah 2:10-13, Rev 18:21
Reciprocal: Exo 9:26 – General Isa 4:6 – for a covert Isa 26:20 – enter Isa 32:2 – an hiding Rev 11:19 – and great
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 32:19. When Or, rather, And it shall hail As my blessings shall be poured down upon my people, who, from a wilderness, are turned into a fruitful field, so my judgments (which are signified by hail, Isa 28:2; Isa 28:17, and elsewhere) shall fall upon them who were a fruitful field, but are turned into a forest, as was said Isa 32:15; that is, upon the unbelieving and rebellious Jews. And the city Jerusalem, which, though now it was the seat of Gods worship and people, yet he foresaw would be the great enemy of the Messiah; shall be low in a low place Hebrew, , shall be humbled with humiliation; that is, shall be greatly humbled, or brought very low.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
32:19 When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the {m} city shall be low in a low place.
(m) They will not need to build it in high places for fear of the enemy: for God will defend it, and turn away the storms from hurting their conveniences.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
A summary of coming blasting and blessing 32:19-20
The last two verses of this "woe" serve as an epilogue (cf. the prologue, Isa 31:1-5). Again there is an abrupt transition from present terror to future tranquillity. Judgment and glory both lay ahead for the Israelites, and it was time for them to choose to return to the Lord. God has revealed the distant future, as well as the immediate future, so people will get right with Him now.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
The forest is a figure of soldiers (Isa 10:18; Isa 10:33-34) and of the fallen world (Isa 2:12-13). The city refers to Jerusalem, but it also represents humankind organized in rebellion against God (Isa 24:10). Thus both the near and the far views of God’s actions blend here. God will destroy, the hail representing His devastating intervention in human life, both the Assyrian soldiers soon and the fallen world later (cf. Isa 10:34). He would devastate Jerusalem soon and rebellious humankind later.