Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 13:7

Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:

7. “Hands hanging down” and “hearts melting” are frequent images of despair (ch. Isa 19:1; Eze 21:7; Job 4:3; Jos 7:5, &c.).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Therefore shall all hands be faint – This is designed to denote the consternation and alarm of the people. They would be so terrified and alarmed that they would have no courage, no hope, and no power to make resistance. They would abandon their plans of defense, and give themselves up to despair (compare Jer 50:43 : The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble; anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a Women in travail; Eze 7:17; Zep 3:16).

And every mans heart shall melt – Or, shall faint, so that he shall have no courage or strength (compare Deu 20:8). The fact was, that the destruction of Babylon took place in the night. It came suddenly upon the city, while Belshazzar was at his impious feast; and the alarm was so unexpected and produced such consternation, that no defense was attempted (see Dan 5:30; compare the notes at Isa 45:1).

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

7. faint . . . meltSo Jer50:43; compare Jos 7:5.Babylon was taken by surprise on the night of Belshazzar’s impiousfeast (Da 5:30). Hence thesudden fainting and melting of hearts.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Therefore shall all hands be faint,…. Or hang down; that is, the hands of all the Babylonians, the city being taken suddenly and at once, so that they should not be able to lift them up to lay hold on a weapon, and defend themselves:

and every man’s heart shall melt; like wax before the fire; be dispirited, and lose all their valour and courage, have neither power nor heart to resist their enemies, and attempt to save themselves.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

7. Therefore all hands shall be weakened. He shows that the power of the Lord to destroy the inhabitants of Babylon will be so great, that they shall have no means of withstanding his anger. Though they stood high in wealth and in power, yet their hearts would be so faint, and their hands so weak, that they would have neither disposition nor ability to resist. And thus he indirectly ridicules the cruelty which boiled in the hearts of the Babylonians; for it is in the power of God to soften hearts, and to crush, loosen, or enfeeble hands or arms, so that suddenly all their courage shall fall down, and all their strength shall vanish away. When the heart quakes, what will be the use of fortifications, or armies, or wealth, or bulwarks? What avails a well-stocked workshop without a workman? We see this every day exemplified in those to whom in other respects the Lord had communicated large resources. Hence we see how vain is that confidence which we place in outward resources; for they would be of no use to us, if the Lord should strike our hearts with any alarm.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(7) Shall all hands be faint.Better, be slack, hanging down in the helpless despondency of the terror which the next clause paints (Heb. 12:12).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

(7) They shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth.The image of powerless agony occurs both in earlier and later prophets (Hos. 13:3; Mic. 5:9; Jer. 6:24, et al.). Perhaps the most striking parallelism is found in Psa. 48:6, probably, like the other psalms of the sons of Korah, contemporary with Isaiah.

Their faces shall be as flames.The comparison seems at first to describe those who cause terror rather than those that feel it. What is described is, however, the moment of horror, when the dejected pallor of ordinary fear flashes into a new intensity, and the eyeballs glare, and the face glows as with a terrible brightness.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

7. Be faint Hanging down in nerveless despondency.

Shall melt Both clauses describe bodily effects indicating despairing mental states.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isa 13:7-8. Therefore, &c. What other effect could the premonition concerning the approach of such formidable enemies produce, than consternation and dismay? So the prophet informs us, eloquently describing in this period the consternation of the Babylonians upon the report of the expedition undertaken against them. This is the general meaning of the figurative expressions made use of in these verses, which are all of easy explication. See Jer 50:43. Deu 20:8. Psa 48:6. Jer 49:24. The last phrase, which is literally, Every one is astonished at another, with inflamed face, or their faces are of flames, signifies that through the agitation of their passions, their faces were kindled as it were into flames, and bespoke the fear and anguish of their minds; each looking upon the other with a face glowing as scarlet, his mind in the utmost perturbation through anxiety and despair. The reader cannot but remark the strength and elegance of the expression. See Vitringa.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Isa 13:7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:

Ver. 7. Therefore shall all hands be faint. ] Base fear, that cowardly passion, shall betray them to the enemy, by expectorating their courage, and causing their hearts to fall into their heels, as we say. But this also cometh from the Lord of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working, for he ordereth the armour, Jer 50:25 and he strengtheneth or weakeneth the armies of either party. Eze 30:24 Whencesoever the sword cometh it is “bathed in heaven.” Isa 34:5

And every heart shall melt. ] How much more shall wicked men’s hearts do so at the day of judgment, when the powers of heaven shall be shaken. Luk 21:26 Alegoriae; haec veriora erunt in die iudicii cuius hic est typus.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)