Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 33:9
The earth mourneth [and] languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed [and] hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off [their fruits].
9. The earth mourneth and languisheth ] (cf. ch. Isa 24:4; Isa 24:7) in sympathy with the distress of God’s people. It is the language of poetry. The “earth” is neither the whole world, nor merely the land of Palestine; its equivalent in modern parlance might be “Nature.” The spots mentioned are those famous for their luxuriant vegetation, and the standing types of natural beauty and perennial verdure (cf. ch. Isa 35:2; Zec 11:2; Son 7:4 f.). Instead of hewn down render with R.V. withereth away. The verb “shake off” requires an object to be supplied, but “their leaves” (as in R.V.) is decidedly better than “their fruits.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The earth mourneth – The land through which he has passed. For the sense of this phrase, see the note at Isa 24:4.
Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down – For the situation of Lebanon, see the note at Isa 10:34. Lebanon was distinguished for its ornaments of beautiful cedars. Here iris represented as being stript of these ornaments, and as covered with shame on that account. There is not any direct historical evidence that Sennacherib had advanced to Lebanon, though there are some intimations that this had occurred (see the note at Isa 14:8), and it was certainly a part of his boast that he had done it (see Isa 37:24). There is no improbability in supposing that he had sent a part of his army to plunder the country in the vicinity of Lebanon (see Isa 20:1).
Sharon is like a wilderness – Sharon was the name of a district south of mount Carmel along the coast of the Mediterranean, extending to Cesarea and Joppa. The name was almost proverbial to express any place of extraordinary beauty and fertility (see 1Ch 5:16; 1Ch 27:29; Son 2:1; Isa 35:2; Isa 65:10). There was also another Sharon on the east side of the Jordan, and in the vicinity of Bashan, which was also a fertile region 1Ch 5:16. To this, it is more probable that the prophet here refers, though it is not certain. The object seems to be to mention the most fertile places in the land as being now desolate.
Bashan – For an account of the situation of Bashan, subsequently called Batanea, see the note at Isa 2:13.
And Carmel – (see the note at Isa 29:17).
Shake off their fruits – The words their fruits, are not in the Hebrew. The Septuagint reads this: Galilee and Carmel are made bare ( , … phanera estai, etc.) The Hebrew word noer probably means to shake; to shake out or off; and refers here to the fact probably that Bashan and Carmel are represented as having shaken off their leaves, and were now lying desolate as in winter.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits – “Bashan and Carmel are stripped of their beauty.”] , made manifest. Sept. They read veneerah.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The earth mourneth, being desolate and neglected.
Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down by the Assyrians. Or, as the word signifies, and is here rendered by others, withereth or languisheth, because its trees are not now used by the Jews for their buildings, as they have been; and because they are spoiled and destroyed by the Assyrians.
Sharon; a pleasant and fruitful place, as appears from 1Ch 27:29; Son 2:1; Isa 35:2.
Bashan and Carmel; two places eminent for fertility, and especially for good pastures, Deu 32:14; 1Sa 25:2, which are here synecdochically put for all such places.
Shake off their fruits; are spoiled of their fruits. Or, as it is rendered by some others, yell or roar, as this word is rendered Jer 51:38.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. (Isa24:4).
Lebanonpersonified;the allusion may be to the Assyrian cutting down its choice trees(Isa 14:8; Isa 37:24).
Sharonsouth of Carmel,along the Mediterranean, proverbial for fertility (Isa35:2).
Bashanafterwardscalled Batanea (Isa 2:13).
fruitsrather,understand “leaves”; they lie as desolate as in winter.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The earth mourneth [and] languisheth,…. All Christendom, being now under the power, dominion, and tyranny of antichrist, and the church’s faithful witnesses slain, and a stop put to all Gospel ministrations; and therefore the church must be in a very languishing condition, and great reason for mourning:
Lebanon is ashamed, [and] hewn down; being stripped of its stately cedars; as now the church of Christ, comparable to that goodly mountain Lebanon, will be deprived of its able ministers, which were like tall and spreading Cedars, for their gifts, grace, strength, and usefulness:
Sharon is like a wilderness; such parts, as Great Britain, which have been most fruitful (as Sharon was a very fruitful place) for the Gospel, and Gospel ordinances, in the purity of them, and for professors of religion, being fruitful in grace, and in good works, shall now be like a desert; there being no ministry, no ordinances, nor any, that dare to make an open profession of the true religion:
and Bashan and Carmel shake off [their fruits]; before they are ripe, or come to anything; places noted for being fruitful, and pastures for flocks; and denote, as before, such spots in Christendom where the Gospel has most flourished, but now should be like barren heaths, and desert places.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
9. The earth hath mourned and languished. Here he describes more fully how wretched and desperate the Jews would perceive their condition to be, that their confidence might nevertheless come forth out of a deep gulf. The places are also specified by him, Lebanon, Bashan, and Carmel, which are widely distant from each other, and which form almost the farthest boundaries of the holy land, in order to shew that no part of it; will remain safe or uninjured. He describes this calamity in such a manner as to assign to each place what peculiarly belongs to it. To “Lebanon” he assigns confusion, because it is elsewhere mentioned as beautiful and glorious, in consequence of having been covered with lofty and valuable trees. He declares that “Sharon,” which was a level and fertile district, will be “like a wilderness,” and that “Bashan and Carmel,” which abounded in “fruits,” will be “shaken.” Thus he alludes to the natural character of each place, and describes the misery and distress in such a manner as to magnify and illustrate the kindness of God, by whom they would be delivered, even though they appeared to be utterly ruined; for here we may see the hand of God openly displayed, if it be not thought preferable to view the Prophet as relating a past transaction in order to excite them to thankfulness.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) The earth mourneth . . .Lebanon, with its cedars, the Sharon (as we say, the Campagna), Bashan, with its oaks (Isa. 2:13), Carmel, with its copse-wood, are the types of beauty and fertility, now languishing and decaying. Possibly the embassy referred to was sent in the autumn, so that the prophet saw in the natural features of that season the symbols of failure and decay.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 33:9 The earth mourneth [and] languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed [and] hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off [their fruits].
Ver. 9. The earth mourneth and languisheth. ] a Or the land luget et languet. Thus they go on in their doleful relation: Miserrima sunt omnia, atque miseranda. What sad work hath Antichrist made of late years in the Christian world? what desolations in all parts?
Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down, Sharon is like a wilderness.
a Metaphora Prosopopoetica.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
hewn down = withered.
shake off. Hebrew. na’ar. A rare word. Occurs twice in the “former” portion (here, and Isa 33:15), and once in the “latter” portion (Isa 52:2). App-79.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
earth: Isa 1:7, Isa 1:8, Isa 24:1, Isa 24:4-6, Isa 24:19, Isa 24:20, Jer 4:20-26
Lebanon: Isa 14:8, Isa 37:24, Zec 11:1-3
hewn down: or, withered away
Sharon: Isa 35:2, Isa 65:10, Son 2:1
Bashan: Deu 3:4, Jer 50:19, Mic 7:14, Nah 1:4
Reciprocal: Num 21:33 – Bashan Jos 12:18 – Lasharon Jos 19:26 – Carmel Job 15:33 – shake off Isa 17:13 – but Jer 4:28 – the earth Jer 14:2 – the gates Hos 2:3 – as Amo 1:2 – the habitations 2Ti 4:3 – they will Rev 6:13 – of a
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
33:9 The earth mourneth [and] languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed [and] hewn down: {o} Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off [their fruits].
(o) Which was a plentiful country, meaning, that Sennacherib would destroy all.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
All parts of Israel suffer because of the invading Assyrians. Lebanon was a forested region in the north, Sharon a beautiful plain to the west, and Bashan and Carmel were fertile areas to the east and north respectively. Assyria had decimated all the best (most fruitful) parts of the land.