Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 17:13
The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but [God] shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
13. The Assyrians shall perish at the rebuke of jehovah. The first clause of the verse is almost identical with the last words of Isa 17:12, and is wanting in the Peshito and a few Hebr. MSS. It may have arisen through dittography, although some think the repetition is rhetorically effective, contrasting the long-drawn-out terror of the invasion with the sharp and sudden visitation described in what follows.
but God shall rebuke them ] Better: but he (Jehovah) rebuketh it (the tumult of nations). The following verbs should also be rendered as presents and in the singular number: it fleeth is chased. The “rebuke” of Jehovah is His voice of thunder (Psa 104:7).
chaff of the mountains ] Threshing-floors were chosen by preference on elevated situations, free to the wind, which carried away the stubble without any artificial winnowing process.
a rolling thing ] R.V. the whirling dust, as in Psa 83:13. The translation “stubble,” however, is supported by the analogy of Aramaic and Arabic words.
For the figure, comp. ch. Isa 29:5; Psa 1:4; Psa 35:5, &c.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
God shall rebuke them – The word God is not here in the original, but is evidently to be supplied. The word rebuke means that he would disarrange their plans, prevent their success, and defeat their purposes. It shows the great power of God, that he can thus by a rebuke – a word – arrest mighty nations, and discomfit thom when they are tumultuously hastening onward in the confidence of victory. This discomfiture refers, doubtless, to the overthrow of Sennacherib and his army by the pestilence (2Ki 19:35; see the notes at Isa 37:36).
And they shall flee far off – The whole army of Sennacherib was not destroyed, but a part with himself returned to Assyria 2Ki 19:36.
And shall be chased as the chaff … – Denoting the case with which God would do it, and the certain and entire discomfiture of the army. The figure is one that is very striking in describing an army that is routed, and that flees in disorder (compare Job 21:18; Psa 1:4; Psa 35:5; Isa 29:5; Hos 13:3).
And like a rolling thing – Margin, Thistle-down. It means, literally, anything that rolls ( galgal, from galal, to roll). It is applied to chaff, stubble, or anything that is driven about by a whirlwind Psa 83:14.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Shall rebuke them; not in words, but deeds; shall discomfit and overthrow them.
Like a rolling thing, which is easily moved by every slight touch, and much more by a violent wind. Or, like a wisp, to wit, of straw, which is sometimes rolled together.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. shall . . . shallrather,”God rebuketh (Ps 9:5)them, and they fleeare chased“; the event is setbefore the eyes as actually present, not future.
chaff of . . .mountainsThreshing floors in the East are in the open air onelevated places, so as to catch the wind which separates thechaff from the wheat (Psa 88:13;Hos 13:3).
rolling thinganythingthat rolls: stubble.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters,…. With great force and noise, and run over the whole land, as the Assyrian army did, until it came to Jerusalem, and there it stopped; see Isa 8:7:
but [God] shall rebuke them; as he did the waters of the Red Sea,
Ps 106:9 and as Christ rebuked the winds and sea, and made a calm, Mt 8:26. The word “God” is not in the text, but rightly supplied; for as none but he can rebuke the mighty waters of the sea, so none but he could have destroyed such an army in the manner it was, and wrought such a salvation for his people. The phrase, is expressive both of his wrath and power.
And they shall flee afar off; from Jerusalem to Nineveh, reckoned to be six hundred and eighty four miles from thence: or, “he shall flee afar off” x; that is, Sennacherib, and the few that escaped with him, for, his army was destroyed; see 2Ki 19:36:
and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind; chaff upon the floor is easily chased away with the fan, and much more easily chaff upon the mountains with the wind; it was usual with the Jews to thresh their corn, and winnow it on hills and mountains, to which the allusion is; see 2Ch 3:1 or “the dust of the mountains”, as some y render it, which is more exposed to the wind than that in the valleys. Kings and great men of the earth are but as dust with God; and the higher they are, or they exalt themselves, the more they are exposed to the power of his wrath, and as easily cast down as the dust is scattered by the wind:
and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind; or “like a wheel” z, as the word is sometimes rendered; or any round thing, as a round wisp of straw or stubble, which is easily and swiftly moved and rolled along, especially by a strong wind. Jarchi interprets it of the flower of thorns; that is, the down of the thistle, which, when blown off, rolls up, and, being exceeding light, is carried away at once; see
Ps 83:13 all which shows what poor light things the greatest of men are in the hands of God, and with what ease he can chase them from place to place, and out of the world, when it is his pleasure.
x “fugiet de procul”, Vatablus. y “velut, pulvis montium”, Tigurine version. z “sicut rota”. Junius Tremellius “tanquam glomus [stipularum]”, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
13. The nations shall rush. Although he appears to follow out that threatening, which he formerly uttered, yet he begins to comfort believers by repeating the same statement, as if we should say, “They who were unmindful of God must be punished for their wicked revolt, and must be, as it were, overwhelmed by a deluge; but the Lord will restrain this savage disposition of the enemies, for, when they have exercised their cruelty, he shall find a method of casting them out and driving them away.” This is a remarkable consolation, by which he intended to support the remnant of the godly. Nor does he speak of the Jews only, as is commonly supposed, for hitherto he has addressed his discourse to the ten tribes, and it is certain that there were still left in Israel some who actually feared God, and who would have despaired if they had not been upheld by some promise.
By these metaphors he describes dreadful storms and tempests. When the Holy Spirit intends to bring comfort to the godly, he holds out those objects which are wont to terrify and discourage the minds of men, that we may learn that God will easily allay all tempests, however violent and dreadful. As the winds and seas and storms are at his command, so it is easy for him to restrain enemies and their violence; and therefore immediately afterwards he compares the Assyrians to chaff.
As the chaff of the mountains before the wind. Although with regard to the Israelites their attack was terrible, yet he shews that before God they will be like chaff, for without any effort he will scatter all their forces. Hence it follows that we ought not to judge of their resources and strength by our senses. Whenever therefore we see the restraints laid on the wicked withdrawn, (10) that they may rush forward for our destruction, let us indeed consider that, so far as lies in ourselves, we are ruined, but that God can easily frustrate their attacks. גלגל ( galgal) means a rolling thing, (11) which is easily driven by the wind.
(10) Bogus footnote
(11) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) But God shall rebuke them.Better, He shall rebuke. The insertion of the word God weakens the force of the sublime indefiniteness of the Hebrew.
Like a rolling thing.The Hebrew word is the same as the wheel of Psa. 83:13, and probably refers, like the chaff of the mountains, to the whirling dust-clouds driven from an elevated threshing-floor before the wind (Psa. 1:4; Psa. 35:5). There is no sufficient authority for the thistle-down of the margin.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 17:13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but [God] shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
Ver. 13. The nations shall rush. ] Or, Rustle. The Assyrians did so when they brake in. Isa 36:1-20
But God shall rebuke them,
And they shall flee far off.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
God = One.
chaff = dried grass.
a rolling thing = a galgal. See note on Psa 83:13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
but: Isa 10:15, Isa 10:16, Isa 10:33, Isa 10:34, Isa 14:25, Isa 25:4, Isa 25:5, Isa 27:1, Isa 30:30-33, Isa 31:8, Isa 31:9, Isa 33:1-3, Isa 33:9-12, Isa 37:29-38, Psa 9:5, Psa 46:5-11
rebuke: Job 38:11, Mar 4:39-41
shall be: Isa 29:5, Isa 41:15, Isa 41:16, Job 21:18, Psa 1:4, Psa 35:5, Psa 83:13-15, Dan 2:35, Hos 13:3
a rolling thing: or, thistle-down
Reciprocal: Job 13:25 – break Job 18:18 – chased Job 30:22 – liftest me Psa 46:3 – the waters Psa 55:8 – the windy storm Psa 58:9 – as Psa 65:7 – tumult Psa 92:9 – scattered Psa 93:3 – The floods Pro 1:27 – as a Isa 8:7 – the Lord bringeth Isa 13:14 – as the Isa 22:18 – surely Isa 33:11 – conceive Isa 37:7 – I will Isa 40:24 – and the Jer 13:24 – as Jer 51:55 – her waves Hos 13:15 – an east Zep 2:2 – as Zec 7:14 – scattered Mat 3:12 – but 1Co 1:28 – to bring Rev 1:15 – his voice Rev 14:2 – of many
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
17:13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but [God] shall {p} rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
(p) He adds this for the consolation of the faithful who were in Israel.