Isaiah 5:26 - Exposition

And he will lift up an ensign. Mr. Cheyne translates, "a signal," and would so render the Hebrew word in Isaiah 11:10 , Isaiah 11:12 ; Isaiah 13:2 ; Isaiah 18:3 ; Isaiah 49:22 ; Isaiah 62:10 . But "ensigns" or "standards" were in use both among the Egyptians and among the Assyrians before the time of Isaiah, and are, therefore, likely to have been in use among the Hebrews. The standards, however, of this early period were not flags, as Jarchi supposes, but solid constructions of wood or metal, exhibiting some emblem or other. God lifts up his standard to draw the nations together, indicating thereby that they are to fight his battles. And will hiss . "Hissing" is said to have been practiced by bee-keepers to draw their bees out of the hives in the morning, and bring them home again from the fields at nightfall (Cyril, ad loc .). God will collect an army against Israel, as such persons collect their bees (comp. Isaiah 7:18 ). From the end of the earth ; i.e. "to bring them from the end of the earth." The nations are, or at least many of them are, extremely distant, as Elamites from the Persian Gulf ( Isaiah 22:6 ), and perhaps Medes from beyond Zagros. They shall come ; literally, he cometh ; showing that, though the nations are many, they are united under one head, which here is probably the Assyrian power. With speed swiftly (comp. Joel 3:4 ). The reference is not so much to the speed with which the Assyrians marched, as to the immediate response which they would make to God's call,