Isaiah 21-2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 21

In this chapter we have a prophecy of sad times coming, and heavy burdens, I. Upon Babylon, here called ?the desert of the sea,? that it should be destroyed by the Medes and Persians with a terrible destruction, which yet God's people should have advantage by, Isa. 21:1-10. II. Upon Dumah, or Idumea, Isa. 21:11, 12. III. Upon Arabia, or Kedar, the desolation of which country was very near, Isa. 21:13-17. These and other nations which the princes and people of Israel had so much to do with the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 21:1-10

We had one burden of Babylon before (Isa. 13:1-22); here we have another prediction of its fall. God saw fit thus to possess his people with the belief of this event by line upon line, because Babylon sometimes pretended to be a friend to them (as Isa. 39:1), and God would hereby warn them not to trust to that friendship, and sometimes was really an enemy to them, and God would hereby warn them not to be afraid of that enmity. Babylon is marked for ruin; and all that believe God's prophets... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 21:11-12

This prophecy concerning Dumah is very short, and withal dark and hard to be understood. Some think that Dumah is a part of Arabia, and that the inhabitants descended from Dumah the sixth son of Ishmael, as those of Kedar (Isa. 21:16, 17) from Ishmael's second son, Gen. 25:13, 14. Others, because Mount Seir is here mentioned, by Dumah understand Idumea, the country of the Edomites. Some of Israel's neighbours are certainly meant, and their distress is foretold, not only for warning to them to... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 21:13-17

Arabia was a large country, that lay eastward and southward of the land of Canaan. Much of it was possessed by the posterity of Abraham. The Dedanim, here mentioned (Isa. 21:13), descended from Dedan, Abraham's son by Keturah; the inhabitants of Tema and Kedar descended from Ishmael, Gen. 25:3, 13, 15. The Arabians generally lived in tents, and kept cattle, were a hardy people, inured to labour; probably the Jews depended upon them as a sort of a wall between them and the more warlike eastern... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 21

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 21 This chapter contains prophecies against Babylon, Idumea, and Arabia. The prophecy against Babylon is called "the burden of the desert of the sea"; whose enemies are described by the fierce manner of their coming, and by the land from whence they came, Isaiah 21:1 which vision being declared to the prophet, is called a grievous one; what made it so was treachery among themselves; and the Medes and Persians are invited to besiege them, Isaiah 21:2 their terror... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 21:1

The burden of the desert of the sea ,.... That this is a prophecy of the destruction of Babylon is clear from the express mention both of the Medes and Persians, by whom it should be, and of Babylon itself, and its fall, Isaiah 21:2 which, though prophesied of before, is here repeated, partly for the certainty of it, and partly for the comfort of the people of the Jews, who would be captives in it, and so break off and prevent their confidence in a nation that would be ruined; and perhaps... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 21:2

A grievous vision is declared unto me ,.... The prophet; meaning the vision of Babylon's destruction, which was "hard", as the word signifies, and might seem harsh and cruel; not to him, nor to the Jews, but to the Chaldeans: the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth ; that is, according to Jarchi, one treacherous dealer deals treacherously with another, and one spoiler spoils another; the Medes and Persians deal treacherously with and spoil the Babylonians,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 21:3

Therefore are my loins filled with pain ,.... As a woman at the time of childbirth, as the following words show: these words are spoken by the prophet, not with respect to himself, as if he was pained at heart at the prophecy and vision he had of the ruin of Babylon, since that was a mortal enemy of his people; and besides, their sighing being made to cease could never be a reason of distress in him, but of joy: these words are spoken by him in the person of the Babylonians, and particularly... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 21:4

My heart panted ,.... Fluttered about, and could hardly keep its place: or, "my mind wandered" F18 תעה לבבי "erravit cor meum", Montanus; "errat animus meus", Junius & Tremellius; "errat cor meum", Piscator. ; like a person in distraction and confusion, that knew not what to think say or do: fearfulness affrighted me ; the terror of Cyrus's army seized him, of its irruption into the city, and of his being destroyed by it; the writing on the wall threw him into a panic, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 21:5

Prepare the table ,.... Set it, spread it, furnish it with all kind of provisions, as at a feast; and such an one Belshazzar made, the night the city was taken: these words are directed to him by his courtiers or queen, as represented by the prophet, in order to remove his fears; see Daniel 5:10 , watch in the watchtower ; this is said to his servants, his soldiers, or sentinels, that were placed on watchtowers to observe the motions of the enemy, who were ordered on duty, and to be on... read more

Group of Brands