Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 13:4
The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
4. Already the prophet seems to hear from afar the din of the gathering multitude.
The noise of a multitude ] Better as an exclamation, Hark, a tumult. And so in the next clause, Hark, the uproar of The “mountains” are those beyond the Zagros range, N.E. of Babylonia, where the territory of the Medes lay. To understand them as “ideal barriers” (Cheyne) weakens the poetry of the passage.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The noise of a multitude in the mountains – The prophet here represents himself as hearing the confused tumult of the nations assembling to the standard reared on the mountains Isa 13:2. This is a highly beautiful figure – a graphic and vivid representation of the scene before him. Nations are seen to hasten to the elevated banner, and to engage in active preparations for the mighty war. The sound is that of a tumult, an excited multitude hastening to the encampment, and preparing for the conquest of Babylon.
Like as of a great people – Hebrew, The likeness of a great people. That is, such a confused and tumultuous sound as attends a great multitude when they collect together.
A tumultuous noise – Hebrew, The voice of the tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together.
The Lord of hosts – Yahweh, the God of hosts, or armies (note Isa 1:9).
Mustereth – Collects; puts in military array. Over all this multitude of nations, hastening with confused sounds and tumult like the noise of the sea, putting themselves in military array, God, unseen, presides, and prepares them for his own great designs. It is not easy to conceive a more sublime image than these mighty hosts of war, unconscious of the hand that directs them, and of the God that presides over them, moving as he wills, and accomplishing his plans.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. Of the battle – “For the battle.”] The Bodleian MS. has lemilchamah. Cyrus’s army was made up of many different nations. Jeremiah calls it an “assembly of great nations from the north country,” Jer 50:9. And afterwards mentions the kingdoms of “Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz, (i.e. Armenia, Corduene, Pontus or Phrygia, Vitring.,) with the kings of the Medes,” Jer 51:27-28. See Xenophon. Cyrop.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The kingdoms of nations; the Medes and Persians, and other nations which served under them in this war; of which see Jer 25:14; 27:7; 50:41.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. the mountainsnamely, whichseparate Media and Assyria, and on one of which the banner to rallythe hosts is supposed to be reared.
tumultuous noiseTheBabylonians are vividly depicted as hearing some unwonted sound likethe din of a host; they try to distinguish the sounds, but can onlyperceive a tumultuous noise.
nationsMedes,Persians, and Armenians composed Cyrus’ army.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people,…. That is, like the noise of a very numerous people; this noise was heard either on the mountains of Media, where they flocked in vast numbers to the standard set; or on the mountains upon the borders of Chaldea, when the army under Cyrus was marching towards Babylon:
a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together; for Cyrus’s army consisted of several kingdoms and nations; for besides the thirty thousand Persians he brought with him into Media, where he was made general of the Medes also, and was sent with the joint forces of both nations against Babylon, the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz, were prepared, gathered together, and called forth against it, Jer 51:27:
the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle; or the warlike army: it was the Lord, that has the armies of heaven and earth at his command, who in his providence caused such a numerous army to be formed, directed them where to march, and put them in battle array, and gave them the victory.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The command of Jehovah is quickly executed. The great army is already coming down from the mountains. “Hark, a rumbling on the mountains after the manner of a great people; hark, a rumbling of kingdoms of nations met together! Jehovah of hosts musters an army, those that have come out of a distant land, from the end of the heaven: Jehovah and His instruments of wrath, to destroy the whole earth.” Kol commences an interjectional sentence, and thus becomes almost an interjection itself (compare Isa 52:8; Isa 66:6, and on Gen 4:10). There is rumbling on the mountains (Isa 17:12-13), for there are the peoples of Eran, and in front the Medes inhabiting the mountainous north-western portion of Eran, who come across the lofty Shahu ( Zagros), and the ranges that lie behind it towards the Tigris, and descend upon the lowlands of Babylon; and not only the peoples of Eran, but the peoples of the mountainous north of Asia generally (Jer 51:27) – an army under the guidance of Jehovah, the God of hosts of spirits and stars, whose wrath it will execute over the whole earth, i.e., upon the world-empire; for the fall of Babel is a judgment, and accompanied with judgments upon all the tribes under Babylonian rule.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
4. The noise of a multitude in the mountains. He adds a still more lively representation, ( ὑποτύπωσιν,) that is, a description by which he places the event as it were before our eyes. The prophets are not satisfied with speaking, without also giving a bold picture of the events themselves. Words uttered plainly, and in the ordinary manner, do not strike us so powerfully or move our hearts so much as those figures which delineate a lively resemblance of the events. As if he had said, “Now, indeed, you hear a man speaking, but know that this voice will be so powerful that at the sound of it nations shall be roused, peoples shall make a noise, and in vast crowds shall shout and roar to bring destruction on the inhabitants of Babylon. This proclamation, therefore, will be as efficacious, even after that I am dead, as if you now saw what I foretell to you.”
In this event, therefore, we see how great is the efficacy of the word, which all the creatures both in heaven and in earth obey. We ought to be more strongly confirmed in the belief of this doctrine, by perceiving that every one of the events which had been predicted many centuries before has taken place. For this reason he declares that the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle, that the various nations are moved by God’s direction, and that, although nothing was farther from their intention than to inflict the punishment which he had appointed, still they do nothing but according to his command, as if some earthly general were to draw up his forces.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) The noise of a multitude . . .The prophet hears, as it were, the tramp of the armies gathering on the mountains north of Babylonia (possibly the Zagros range, or the plateau of Iran, or the mountains of Armenia; but the prophets geography was probably vague) before they descend to the plain, and march against the haughty city. (Comp. Jer. 51:27.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Noise of a multitude No sooner summoned than aroused. Armies in the mountains gather instantly. The noise of preparation sounds afar.
In the mountains The Median mountains.
Kingdoms of nations Medes, Persians, Armenians, possibly also Parthians, if the vision be of prophetic space, not of time, which, judging from the next verse, is probable.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 13:4-5. The noise of a multitude, &c. The prophet here relates three things, the sudden effects of the divine command; first, the collection and congregation which God had destined to execute his judgments. There is a noise of tumult in the mountains; the appearance of much people; the voice of the tumult of the kingdoms of nations gathered together. No sooner had the Almighty given the command, than the multitude assembles to his banners. Secondly, We have this army disposed in order, and reviewed by its supreme general; The Lord of hosts mustereth, or revieweth the host of the battle: Thirdly, The motion and expedition of this army, immediately accoutred for the march against Babylon: They march from a far country, from the extremity of the heavens; even JEHOVAH, and the instruments of his wrath to destroy this whole land. See Jer 50:25. Media is called a far country, &c. in the usual style of Scripture for any distant place; chap. Isa 5:26. Bishop Newton observes it was foretold, that various nations should unite against Babylon; that they should come from a far country; and that among others they should be the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Aschenaz. Jer 51:27 that is the Armenians, Phrygians, and other nations; and accordingly Cyrus’s army consisted of various nations besides Medes and Persians, among whom were those very people whom he had conquered before, and obliged to attend him in this expedition.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa 13:4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
Ver. 4. The noise of the multitude. ] The Medes that come against Babylon are both numerous and streperous, as is here graphically described by an elegant hypotyposis. a
The Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
a Vivid description of a scene, event, or situation, bringing it, as it were, before the eyes of the hearer or reader.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
noise: Isa 22:1-9, Jer 50:2, Jer 50:3, Jer 50:21-46, Jer 51:11, Jer 51:27, Jer 51:28, Eze 38:3-23, Joe 3:14, Zec 14:1-3, Zec 14:13, Zec 14:14, Rev 19:11-21
like as: Heb. the likeness of, Joe 2:4-11, Rev 9:7-19
the Lord: Isa 10:5, Isa 10:6, Isa 45:1, Isa 45:2, Jer 50:14, Jer 50:15, Jer 51:6-25, Joe 2:1-11, Joe 2:25, Rev 18:8
Reciprocal: 1Ch 14:15 – for God Isa 9:5 – confused noise Isa 18:3 – see ye Isa 21:1 – from Isa 48:14 – he will do Jer 21:4 – and I Joe 2:11 – utter
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 13:4-5. The noise of a multitude in the mountains No sooner had the Almighty given the command, than the multitude assembles to his banners; like as a great people Not rude and barbarous; but well- disciplined, regular, and veteran troops, such as are wont to be furnished by a great and powerful people; of the kingdoms of nations Cyruss army was made up of different nations besides the Medes and Persians. The Lord of hosts The God of armies; mustereth the host of the battle He raises the soldiers, brings them together, puts them in order, reviews them, keeps an exact account of them, sees that they be all in their respective posts, and gives them their necessary orders. The expressions are noble, and contain a lively description of that terror which the appearance of a hostile army strikes into the beholders. They come from a far country Many of Cyruss auxiliary forces came from very distant countries: see Jer 50:41; Jer 51:27-28. The prophet adds this as an aggravation of the judgment. From the end of heaven This is not to be understood strictly and properly, but popularly and hyperbolically, as such expressions are commonly used, both in sacred and profane authors. Even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation The Medes and Persians, who were but a rod in Gods hand, and the instruments of his anger, as was said of the Assyrian, Isa 10:5. To destroy the whole land Namely, of Babylon, of which he is now speaking.