Isaiah 10:8-19 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:5-19

Assyria, a notable example of pride and its punishment. History furnishes no better example of pride and its punishment than that of Assyria. The pride of the Assyrians is equally apparent in Scripture and on the native monuments. I. ASSYRIA 'S PRIDE AS SHOWN FORTH IN SCRIPTURE . 1. In Rabshakeh's embassy 2 Kings 18:19-35 ) Rabshakeh not only scoffs at the military power of Judaea and Egypt, but ridicules the idea that Jehovah can deliver Jerusalem if the Assyrians... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:5-19

Man in his folly and God in his righteousness. We have a graphic picture here of— I. MAN IN HIS FOLLY . Under the dominion of the folly which is born of sin, man. 1. Indulges in designs which are beyond his strength . ( Isaiah 10:7 .) It is "in his heart" to do much greater things, often to work much greater wickedness, than he has power to execute. Under sin, men indulge in great-and even gross self-exaggeration; guilt is an infatuating thing. 2. Looks with... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:8

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:9

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:10

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:11

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:12

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:12-14

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:13

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:14

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

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:5-19

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:5-19

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:8

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:9

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:10

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:12

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:12-14

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 10:14

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