Howbeit he meaneth not so . "Assyria," i.e; "does not view the matter in this light—is not aware that she is merely God's instrument in working out his will. On the contrary, it is in her heart to destroy the nations for her own advantage, and she imagines that she is doing it by her own strength." read more
Are not my princes altogether kings ? One mark of the superiority of Assyria to other countries was to be seen in the fact that her king had not mere officers, but vassal kings under him. Hence the title "king of kings" assumed by so many Assyrian monarchs. While conquered territories were by degrees and to a certain extent absorbed into the empire and placed under prefects (see the 'Eponym Canon'), an outer zone of more loosely organized dependencies was always maintained by the Assyrians;... read more
Is not Calno as Carehemish ? A further proof of superiority, and ground of confidence, lay in the further fact, that the strongest cities had, one and all, succumbed to the Assyrian arms, and been laid in ruins to punish them for offering resistance. Six such cities are mentioned—Calneh, probably Niffer, in Lower Mesopotamia; Carchemish, on the right bank of the Euphrates in Lat. 36° 30' nearly; Hamath, the "great Hamath" of Amos ( Amos 6:2 ), in Coelesyria on the routes; Arpad, perhaps... read more
As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols. "Found" here means "reached," "punished … subjugated." It is quite in accordance with Assyrian ideas that the conquered countries should be called "kingdoms of the idols" (literally, "no gods"). The Assyrian monarchs regarded their own gods as alone really deserving of the name, and made war very much with the object of proving the superiority of their deities over those of their neighbors. Hence their practice of carrying off the idols from... read more
Shall I not … so do to Jerusalem and her idols ? The speaker ignores the fact of any difference in kind between the religion of Judaea and that of the neighboring countries. He speaks as if he knew nothing of any religion without idols. No doubt Assyrian ideas on the subject of the religion of the Jews were at this time, as they were even later ( 2 Kings 18:22 ), exceedingly vague and incorrect. read more
Wherefore ; rather, but . The final result shall be such as "the Assyrian" little expected. When the Lord hath performed his whole work. The "work" assigned to Assyria was the destruction of the kingdom of Israel, and a share in the trial, punishment, and discipline of Judah. The last task seems to have been the humiliation of Manasseh, which brought about his repentance ( 2 Chronicles 33:11-13 ). Soon after this the troubles began which led to her destruction. I will punish . The... read more
God's judgments on pride. "These are the sentiments and boastings of Sennacherib, a proud Assyrian monarch, who viewed and treated cities just as we in Africa viewed and treated ostrich-nests, when they fell in our way; we seized the eggs as if they had been our own, because we had found them, and because there was no power that could prevent us. So did Sennacherib seize and plunder cities with as little compunction as we seized the eggs of the absent ostrich; never thinking of the misery... read more
For he saith . Neither this speech nor that in Isaiah 10:8-11 , nor again that given in Isaiah 37:24 , Isaiah 37:25 , is to be regarded as historical in the sense of being the actual utterance of any Assyrian monarch. All are imaginary, speeches, composed by the prophet, whereby he expresses in his own language the thoughts which Assyrian kings entertained in their hearts. I have removed the bounds of the people ; rather, of peoples . Assyrian monarchs take as one of their titles... read more
My hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people ; rather, of the peoples . The Assyrians are fond of comparing their enemies to birds; but the exact metaphor here used does not, I believe, occur in the inscriptions. The nations' treasures are like eggs found in deserted nests, which the hunter gathers without any, even the slightest, risk. All the earth . Oriental hyperbole. Assyrian monarchs often say that they "have subdued all the races of men," or "carried the glory of their... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:6
I will send him against an hypocritical nation ; or, against a corrupt nation . Israel in the wider sense, inclusive of Judah, seems to be intended. The people of my wrath ; i.e. "the people who are the object of my wrath." Will I give him a charge . In 2 Kings 18:25 Sennacherib nays, "Am I come up without the Lord (Jehovah) against thin, lace, to destroy it? The Lord (Jehovah) said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it" (compare below, Isaiah 36:10 ). It has been... read more