Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 24:21
And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones [that are] on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
21. the host of the high ones that are on high ] Lit. the host of the height in the height. The “host of the height” is equivalent to the “host of heaven” (Jer 33:22; 1Ki 22:19; Neh 9:6); but (as these passages shew) the expression may be used either of the stars or of the angels. It is impossible to say which sense is intended here, or whether both are combined. That celestial beings of some kind are meant appears clearly from the emphatic contrast with the “kings of the earth” in the second half of the verse. The heavenly bodies, conceived by the ancients as animated, and as influencing the destinies of men, were objects of false worship, and so might be represented as part of the evil system of things which has to be overthrown. On the other hand the idea of patron angels of the various nationalities appears in the later literature (Dan 10:13; Dan 10:20-21; Dan 12:1; Sir 17:17 ) and these, as mysteriously related to the earthly sovereignties, might also be thought of. (On a similar conception in Psalms 58, 82, see Cheyne’s Bampton Lectures, pp. 120, 337.)
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
21 23. The judgment on the powers of evil, and the enthronement of Jehovah on Mount Zion.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In that day – In the time of the captivity at Babylon.
Shall punish – Hebrew as the Margin, Shall visit upon (see the note at Isa 10:12).
The host of the high ones – There have been various interpretations of this expression. Jerome understands it of the host of heaven, and thinks it refers to the fact that in the day of judgment God will judge not only earthly things but celestial, and especially the sun and moon and stars, as having been the objects of idolatrous worship (see Deu 4:19; Dan 8:10; Dan 11:13). Compare Psa 18:17; Jer 25:30, where the words on high are used to denote heaven. Aben Ezra supposes that by the phrase is meant angels, who preside over the governors and kings of the earth, in accordance with the ancient opinion that each kingdom was under the tutelage of guardian angels. To this Rosenmuller seems to assent, and to suppose that the beings thus referred to were evil spirits or demons to whom the kingdoms of the world were subject. Others, among whom is Grotius, have supposed that the reference is to the images of the sun, moon, and stars, which were erected in high places, and worshipped by the Assyrians. But probably the reference is to those who occupied places of power and trust in the ecclesiastical arrangement of Judea, the high priest and priests, who exercised a vast dominion over the nation, and who, in many respects, were regarded as elevated even over the kings and princes of the land. The comparison of rulers with the sun, moon, and stars, is common in the Scriptures; and this comparison was supposed especially to befit ecclesiastical rulers, who were regarded as in a particular manner the lights of the nation.
Upon the earth – Beneath, or inferior to those who had places of the highest trust and honor. The ecclesiastical rulers are represented as occupying the superior rank; the princes and rulers in a civil sense as in a condition of less honor and responsibility. This was probably the usual mode in which the ecclesiastical and civil offices were estimated in Judea.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 21. On high – upon the earth.] That is, the ecclesiastical and civil polity of the Jews, which shall be destroyed. The nation shall continue in a state of depression and dereliction for a long time. The image seems to be taken from the practice of the great monarchs of that time; who, when they had thrown their wretched captives into a dungeon, never gave themselves the trouble of inquiring about them; but let them lie a long time in that miserable condition, wholly destitute of relief, and disregarded. God shall at length revisit and restore his people in the last age: and then the kingdom of God shall be established in such perfection, as wholly to obscure and eclipse the glory of the temporary, typical, preparative kingdom now subsisting.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In that day; either when God shall punish the apostatical Jews, or about or after that time, or in a time known to God; for this phrase is oft used indefinitely, and without any respect to the time designed in the foregoing passages.
The high ones that are on high; the proud and potent enemies of God, and of his people, who possess the high places of the earth.
The kings of the earth; either,
1. The great monarchs of the world, who now scorn and trample upon Gods people; or,
2. The princes and rulers of Israel or Judah; for the name of king is frequently given in Scripture unto mean and inferior rulers, as Jdg 1:7; 1Ki 20:1,12; Psa 119:46, and elsewhere.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. host of . . . high onestheheavenly host, that is, either the visible host of heaven (thepresent economy of nature, affected by the sun, moon, and stars, theobjects of idolatry, being abolished, Isa 65:17;Isa 60:19, simultaneously withthe corrupt polity of men); or rather, “the invisiblerulers of the darkness of this world,” as the antithesis to”kings of the earth” shows. Angels, moreover, preside, asit were, over kingdoms of the world (Dan 10:13;Dan 10:20; Dan 10:21).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And it shall come to pass in that day,…. Not at the precise exact time the earth shall be dissolved, but previous to it, within that dispensation that is called the last day:
[that] the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones [that are] on high; which is not to be understood of the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars in the heavens, as some; nor of the visiting of angels, as Aben Ezra; nor of the punishment of Satan, and his principalities and powers, who are reserved to the judgment of the great day; much less of the people of the Jews, their kings and rulers; nor the great monarchs of the earth, the Assyrian, Chaldean, and others; but of antichrist and, his dignified clergy, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, c. who are the “host or army of that high one” z, as it may be rendered of him that exalts himself above all that is called God, sitting in the high place in the temple of God, as if he was God; him, with all his mighty ones, will Christ, who is the true Jehovah, destroy with the breath of his mouth and the brightness of his coming; see 2Th 2:4:
and the kings of the earth upon the earth; the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication with the whore of Rome; and who will make war with the Lamb, and shall be overcome by him, Re 17:2 or, “the kings of he earth” with “their earth” a; both they and their land shall be visited.
z “super exercitum excelsi”, Pagninus, Montanus, So Cocceius. a “cum terra ipsorum”, Junius & Tremellius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But if the old earth passes away in this manner out of the system of the universe, the punishment of God must fall at the same time both upon the princes of heaven and upon the princes of earth (the prophet does not arrange what belongs to the end of all things in a “chronotactic” manner). They are the secrets of two worlds, that are here unveiled to the apocalyptic seer of the Old Testament. “And it cometh to pass in that day, Jehovah will visit the army of the high place in the high place, and the kings of the earth on the earth. And they are imprisoned, as one imprisons captives in the pit, and shut up in prison; and in the course of many days they are visited. And the moon blushes, and the sun turns pale: for Jehovah of hosts reigns royally upon Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before His elders is glory.” With this doubly expressed antithesis of m arom and ‘ adamah (cf., Isa 23:17) before us, brought out as it is as sharply as possible, we cannot understand “ the army of the high place ” as referring to certain earthly powers (as the Targum, Luther, Calvin, and Hvernick do). Moreover, the expression itself is also opposed to such an interpretation; for, as Isa 24:18 clearly shows, in which m immarom is equivalent to m isshamaim (cf., Isa 33:5; Isa 37:23; Isa 40:26), is synonymous with ; and this invariably signifies either the starry host (Isa 40:26) or the angelic host (1Ki 22:19; Psa 148:2), and occasionally the two combined, without any distinction (Neh 9:6). As the moon and sun are mentioned, it might be supposed that by the “host on high” we are to understand the angelic host, as Abravanel, Umbreit, and others really do: “the stars, that have been made into idols, the shining kings of the sky, fall from their altars, and the kings of the earth from their thrones.” But the very antithesis in the word “kings” ( m alche ) leads us to conjecture that “the host on high” refers to personal powers; and the view referred to founders on the more minute description of the visitation ( pakad al , as in Isa 27:1, Isa 27:3, cf., Isa 26:21), “they are imprisoned,” etc.; for this must also be referred to the heavenly host. The objection might indeed be urged, that the imprisonment only relates to the kings, and that the visitation of the heavenly host finds its full expression in the shaming of the moon and sun (Isa 24:23); but the fact that the moon and sun are thrown into the shade by the revelation of the glory of Jehovah, cannot be regarded as a judgment inflicted upon them. Hence the commentators are now pretty well agreed, that “the host on high” signifies here the angelic army. But it is self-evident, that a visitation of the angelic army cannot be merely a relative and partial one. And it is not sufficient to understand the passage as meaning the wicked angels, to the exclusion of the good. Both the context and the parallelism show that the reference must be to a penal visitation in the spiritual world, which stands in the closest connection with the history of man, and in fact with the history of the nations. Consequently the host on high will refer to the angels of the nations and kingdoms; and the prophecy here presupposes what is affirmed in Deu 32:8 (lxx), and sustained in the book of Daniel, when it speaks of a sar of Persia, Javan, and even the people of Israel. In accordance with this exposition, there is a rabbinical saying, to the effect that “God never destroys a nation without having first of all destroyed its prince,” i.e., the angel who, by whatever means he first obtained possession of the nation, whether by the will of God or against His will, has exerted an ungodly influence upon it. Just as, according to the scriptural view, both good and evil angels attach themselves to particular men, and an elevated state of mind may sometimes afford a glimpse of this encircling company and this conflict of spirits; so do angels contend for the rule over nations and kingdoms, either to guide them in the way of God or to lead them astray from God; and therefore the judgment upon the nations which the prophet here foretells will be a judgment upon angels also. The kingdom of spirits has its own history running parallel to the destinies of men. What is recorded in Gen 6 was a seduction of men by angels, and one of later occurrence than the temptation by Satan in paradise; and the seduction of nations and kingdoms by the host of heaven, which is here presupposed by the prophecy of Isaiah, is later than either.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
21. And it shall come to pass. This passage has tortured the minds of many commentators, and various interpretations have been offered by various writers. Some think that this relates to the sun and the stars, and others, that it relates to the devils, who will be punished along with the wicked. Others refer it to the Jews, on whom God had bestowed a remarkable privilege. But I cannot adopt any of those interpretations. (132) The simple and genuine meaning, therefore, appears to me to be, that no power will be so high as to be exempted from those scourges of God; and though they raise themselves above the clouds, yet the hand of God will reach them; as it is said in the Psalm,
“
Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? and whither shall I flee from thy face? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there; if I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, there also shall thy hand pursue me.” Psa 139:7.
Jehovah will visit upon the army on high. (133) This is a metaphor by which he denotes kings and princes, who shine and sparkle in the world like stars; and he afterwards explains this metaphor in direct language, by adding upon the kings of the earth; for I do not think that they ought to be separated, as if he were speaking of different subjects, but that there is a repetition of the same statement, so that the latter clause explains the former. But perhaps it will be thought preferable to explain it thus: “he will visit on the kingdoms of the earth,” even on those things which appear to surpass the rank of men; for some things rise so much above others, that they appear as if they did not belong to the ordinary rank. The word visit must relate to punishment, as even the context shews plainly enough.
(132) Bogus footnote
(133) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(21) The Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high . . .The prophets utterance becomes more and more apocalyptic. He sees more than the condemnation of the kings of earth. Jehovah visits also the principalities and powers in heavenly places (Eph. 3:10) or on high (Eph. 6:12). Perhaps identifying these spiritual evil powers with the gods whom the nations worshipped, and these again with the stars in the firmament, Isaiah foresees a time when their long-protracted rebellion shall come to an end, and all authority and power be put down under the might of Jehovah (1Co. 15:25). The antithetical parallelism of the two clauses is decisive against the interpretation which sees in the high ones on high only the representatives of earthly kingdoms, though we may admit that from the prophets stand-point each rebel nation is thought of as swayed by a rebel spirit. (Comp. Dan. 10:20; Sir. 17:14; and the LXX. of Deu. 32:8 : He set the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of God.) The same thought is found in a Rabbinic proverb, God never destroys a nation without having first of all destroyed its prince (Delitzsch, but without a reference).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
21-23. In these verses the view is also apocalyptic, but the visitation is of punishment to the host of the high ones on high. Rather more than possibly, this means, fallen angels, acting as guardians to evil powers on earth. The scene is too much lifted from earth to merely mean men, wicked men, distinguished for high position and pride. Alluding to the practice of conquerors with their captives, these are imprisoned reserved for judgment.
Shall they be visited But probably for inevitable punishment. Whether wicked angels or wicked men are intended here, the same principle applies: wickedness cannot go unpunished. The vision is of scenes in the heavens antecedent to the day of Messiah’s glory and power. In the presence of such a day all previous light is dim. The apocalyptist of the Old Testament sees here all providential government condensed into one fact, namely: Jehovah enthroned in a new Jerusalem, the Messianic day, with his people surrounding him, before the light and glory of which the white moon turns red, and the glowing sun becomes pale, each being as an unperceived lamp at noonday.
The contest of ages has revealed God’s majesty, justice, and mercy; his Church planted on Zion is jubilant, and a new glory covers her.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 24:21-22. And it shall come to pass in that day The prophet continues to describe the terrible judgments of God, whereby the profane, the hypocrites, and the persecutors of the true religion, should be punished about the same time wherein we fix the scene of this prophesy. By the host of the high ones on high, some understand the kings of Assyria; but Vitringa thinks that it is plain beyond dispute, particularly from Dan 8:10; Dan 8:27 that the profane and apostate priests are here meant, as the kings are spoken of in the next clause. See on Isa 24:4. The phrase, After many days shall they be visited, at the end of the 22nd verse, signifies, that many days, or a long time, after the delivery of this prophesy, the patrons here spoken of should be punished according to the prediction; as appears from the same phrase used in this sense, Eze 38:8. The history of the times fully confirms this exposition, as appears from the unhappy end of Jason, Menelaus, Antiochus Epiphanes, and many others. See 2Ma 5:8-9. 1Ma 9:55-56, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Isa 24:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones [that are] on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
Ver. 21. The Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high. ] Altitudinis in excelso. Hereby he may mean the Jews, God’s “firstborn, and therefore higher than the kings of the earth,” Psa 89:27 though now for most part degenerated, and therefore in the next words also heavily threatened, for versum vicesimum primum secundus explicat, saith Scultetus.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
that are. Omit.
earth = the ground, or, Soil. Hebrew. ha-adamah. Compare Isa 6:12.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Isa 24:21-23
Isa 24:21
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will punish the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.”
Moffatt’s rendition here should be noted: “And then shall the Eternal punish the hosts of the high heaven above and the kings on earth below.” Who are those hosts of heaven above who shall be punished on “that Day?” Jude gave us this inspired answer: “Angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he (God) hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day” (Jud 1:5). That, of course, is the day when Satan and his angels, along with all who have chosen to serve Satan, shall be finally disposed of by God Himself.
Isa 24:22
“And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited.”
The “pit” and the “prison” might refer to the fate of two different groups. The pit in which the kings of the earth shall await the Great Day is the tomb; and “the prison” could be a reference to the “chains of darkness” in which the fallen angels are contained unto the judgment. Since there were two groups mentioned in the preceding verse, it appears to be reasonable that the two groups are still visible here.
On the “many days,” see under the next verse.
Isa 24:23
“Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Jehovah of hosts will reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders shall be glory.”
This verse again points squarely at the Great Day. “And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood” (Rev 6:12). It appears here that the same cosmic disturbances mentioned by Isaiah were also foreseen in the revelation to John. There is little doubt that both visions contemplate the final judgment and second advent of Christ.
“After many days shall they be visited …” (Isa 24:22). This indicates a very long period of time to elapse between the time when the ones to be punished were either in the pit (dead) or “in prison” (the chains of darkness) and the time of the final judgment. We agree with Hailey that these “many days” are the same as, “the symbolic thousand years of Rev 20:1-6).” Amazingly, a number of the time designations in Revelation all have the same meaning, that being, “all of the time between the first advent and the second advent of Christ,” namely, the whole current dispensation of the grace of God. Note the following references from the Book of Revelation: (1) The souls of the martyrs were promised that before the judgment they would “rest for a little time” (Rev 6:11); (2) Christ’s church will be nourished in the wilderness (her probation) for “one thousand, two hundred and sixty days” (Rev 12:6); (3) Satan is “wroth” against God’s people, because “he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Rev 12:12); (4) God’s church will be nourished “for a time, and times, and half a time” (Rev 12:14); (5) The beast had authority to oppose the church for “forty and two months” (Rev 13:5). (6) It is obvious that 42 months, 1,260 days, and time and times and half a time are all exactly the same amount of time, three and one-half years. (7) It is just as obvious that the “thousand years” of Rev 20:1-6 refer to exactly the same time as indicated in the other symbolical expressions, namely, the whole dispensation of Christ.
In view of the tribulations, sorrow and death that are clearly foretold in passages such as these chapters of Isaiah, one can understand why the Son of God had compassion and pity upon the children of men. Twelve times, the New Testament states that “Jesus had compassion …” No one who studies the Bible can be unaware of our human need for Divine mercy and compassion. Every thoughtful person on earth may join in the prayer of the publican, “O Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luk 18:13). Our poor world, following the leadership of arrogant, conceited, but ignorant men, ignoring the “Light that has come into the world through Christ,” and blundering along in the darkness of human wisdom, is inevitably headed for a disaster. Our sinful world, in rebellion against God, is on a collision course with the inevitable reckoning. All mankind moves toward that awful moment described by John Milton, “When God shall cast his throne in middle air, and all receive their sentence there.” On that occasion, God will appear in righteous wrath and cast evil out of his universe.
Before leaving this last verse, there are two or three more observations which we wish to include:
“The thought here passes to the final convulsion of nature, and the manifestation of Jehovah’s kingdom in all its glory. If sun and moon are to lose their luster, it is only as outshone by the Light itself, by the Lord reigning in full state, This is essentially the same vision as Rev 21:22 ff. The mount Zion and Jerusalem mentioned here can only mean the spiritual Zion and the New (heavenly) Jerusalem, because the earth is no more (Isa 24:20) at the time indicated here.
Isa 24:21-22 VANOUISHING: When God defeats the world of human rebellion and world-government usurpation, He will visit the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth, to imprison them. The Hebrew word translated punish in Isa 24:21 is pokad which is usually translated visit (as in Isa 24:22). At the accomplishment of the redemption of man-at the death and resurrection of Christ-the god of this world, Satan, was cast out (Joh 12:31; Joh 16:11). Satan was bound (Mat 12:28-30; Rev 20:1-3). Satans power was destroyed (Heb 2:14-15). The New Testament also indicates (as well as Dan 10:13; Dan 10:20) the devil had angels or princes of the abyss to help him lead sinful men in rebellion (2Co 11:14; Eph 6:10-18, etc.). But these rebellious angels have been vanquished to a prison house of God (2Pe 2:4; Jud 1:6) awaiting final punishment. Christ triumphed over all principalities and powers (Col 2:15; Eph 1:20-21; Col 1:16), and He led captivity captive (Eph 4:8). Many days after Isaiah penned his 24th chapter, God visited the earth in His Son and vanquished the principalities and powers arrayed against His rule over man, freed man from their power, and bound the rebel Satan and his helpers-whether hosts on high or kings on the earth. Those who sat in darkness have seen a great light (cf. Isa 9:1-7). Captives have been liberated (Isa 61:1-4; Luk 1:68-75; Luk 4:16-30).
Isa 24:23 VINDICATION: The great planets and heavenly bodies are used by the prophets time and again to symbolize cataclysmic changes or portents to be experienced by man during the progress of history. See Joe 2:31; Joe 3:15. See also Isaiahs use of the same terminology in connection with the downfall of babylon, Isa 13:9-10, and the symbolic language of the Revelation, chapters Isa 6:12 and Isa 8:12.
Here in Isa 24:23, Isaiah portrays Gods triumph over the world at the accomplishment of redemption in Christ as so exceedingly glorious the sun and moon will pale into insignificant shame in comparison with His glory! No created thing in this universe, no matter how magnificent or majestic, can ever be compared with the glory of redemptions accomplishment and the reign of God in His kingdom finally established. As C. S. Lewis once said, Even the glory of the future heavens and earth will not compare with the glory that is in us. It is not changed circumstances that will so much constitute a glorified existence as changed people. And when Jehovah reigns in Zion (the church, Heb 12:22 ff) people are changed and glorified! Of course, changed people eagerly long for changed circumstances where they, in their changed natures, may serve the Lord without pain, frustration, and death. But right now those who are overcoming the world by their faith and are beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; (2Co 3:18). God reigning in Zion is a Messianic term (See Isa 24:17). God is going to reign in Jerusalem when the ark of the covenant is no longer remembered or missed (Jer 3:15-18). That must be when the New Covenant is instituted!
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
in that day
(Day of Jehovah)
(Isa 2:10-22); (Isa 4:1-6); (Isa 11:10-13); (Isa 13:9-16); (Isa 24:21-23); (Isa 26:20); (Isa 26:21-63); (Isa 26:1-6); (Isa 66:15-24). (Rev 19:11-21).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
the Lord: Isa 10:25-27, Isa 14:1, Isa 14:2, Isa 25:10-12, Isa 34:2-17, Psa 76:12, Psa 149:6-9, Eze 38:1 – Eze 39:29, Joe 3:9-17, Joe 3:19, Hag 2:21, Hag 2:22, Zec 14:12-19, Rev 6:14-17, Rev 17:14, Rev 18:9, Rev 19:18-21
punish: Heb. visit upon
Reciprocal: Jos 10:16 – in a cave Job 12:21 – poureth Isa 2:11 – lofty Isa 13:10 – General Isa 26:1 – that day Isa 40:23 – General Jer 8:13 – I will surely consume Jer 21:14 – punish Jer 25:35 – the shepherds Eze 30:3 – the time Hos 12:2 – punish Zep 1:8 – punish Zec 10:3 – punished Zec 12:4 – that day Rom 8:39 – height Rev 6:15 – the kings
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 24:21-22. It shall come to pass in that day At or soon after the time when God shall execute the above-mentioned judgment on the apostate Jews; that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones The proud and potent enemies of his people, who possess the high places of the earth; and the kings of the earth The great monarchs of the world, who now scorn and trample on his people. Some think the idolatrous persecuting Roman empire is here intended, but what follows seems to require that we should understand these verses as a further prediction of the ruin of the Jewish constitution in church and state. Bishop Lowth translates them, Jehovah shall summon on high the host that is on high; and on earth the kings of the earth; which he interprets of the ecclesiastical and civil polity of the Jews, which were to be destroyed; the host of the high ones meaning the chief priests, with the high-priest at their head, or their ecclesiastical government, and the kings of the earth their civil power; the name of king being frequently given in Scripture unto inferior rulers. And they shall be gathered together By Gods special providence, in order to their punishment. And thus the unbelieving Jews were generally gathered together at Jerusalem, to their solemn feasts, when Titus came and besieged and destroyed them; and shall be shut up in prison As malefactors, which are taken in several places, are usually brought to one common prison. After many days they shall be visited After the apostate Jews shall have been shut up in unbelief, and in great tribulations for many ages together, they shall be convinced of their sin in crucifying the Messiah, and brought home to God and Christ by true repentance. The nation, says Bishop Lowth, shall continue in a state of depression and dereliction for a long time. The image seems to be taken from the practice of the great monarchs of that time, who, when they had thrown their wretched captives into a dungeon, never gave themselves the trouble of inquiring about them, but let them lie a long time in that miserable condition, wholly destitute of relief, and disregarded. God shall at length revisit and restore his people in the last age: and then the kingdom of God shall be established in such perfection, as wholly to obscure and eclipse the glory of the temporary, typical, preparative kingdom now subsisting, as is signified in the next verse.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
24:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the LORD shall {n} punish the host of the high ones [that are] on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
(n) There is no power so high or mighty, but God will visit him with his rods.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The coming King 24:21-23
Isaiah hinted at the coming of a great future King in his oracles against Philistia and Edom (Isa 14:29-30; Isa 14:32; Isa 21:11-12). Now he revealed more.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
When Yahweh brings universal judgment on the world again, He will sovereignly punish all unfaithful authorities both in the heavenly realm (evil angels, cf. Dan 10:13; Eph 6:12) and in the earthly (cf. Mat 8:29; Revelation 12-13; Rev 19:19; Rev 20:2; Rev 20:10). Rulers are the particular individuals in view.