2 Kings 19:31 - Exposition

For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant. The march of Sennacherib and the raid of Rabshakeh had driven the mass of the escaped population of Judaea to take refuge within the walls of Jerusalem, from which, on the retirement of the invaders, they would gladly "go forth," to recultivate their lands ( 2 Kings 19:29 ) and restore their ruined homes. And they that escape —rather, that shall escape— out of Mount Zion —"Mount Zion" is a variant for Jerusalem, as in 2 Kings 19:21 , and in Isaiah and the Psalms so continually— the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this. So in Isaiah 9:7 and Isaiah 37:32 . Here most manuscripts have "the zeal of the Lord ," omitting "of hosts;" and this is probably the right reading. The meaning is that God's zealous love and care for his people will effect their complete restoration to prosperity and glory, difficult as it was at the time to imagine such a restoration.