Isaiah 28:14-22 - Exposition

THE REBUKE OF JUDAH 'S NOBLES . The power of the nobles under the later Jewish monarchy is very apparent throughout Isaiah's prophecy. It is they, and not the king, who are always blamed for bad government ( Isaiah 1:10-23 ; Isaiah 3:12-15 , etc.) or errors of policy ( Isaiah 9:15 , Isaiah 9:16 ; Isaiah 22:15-19 , etc.). Isaiah now turns from a denunciation of the priests and prophets, who especially opposed his teaching, to a threatening of the great men who guided the course of public affairs. He taxes them with being "men of scorn" (verse 14), i.e. scorners of Jehovah, and with" a proud and insolent self-confidence" (Delitzsch). They have made, or are about to make, secret arrangements which will, they believe, secure Judaea against suffering injury at the hands of the Assyrians, and are quite satisfied with what they have done, and fear no evil. Isaiah is instructed that their boasted arrangements will entirely fail in the time of trial—their "refuge" (Egypt) will be found a refuge of lies (verse 17), and the "overflowing scourge" (Assyria) will pass through the land, and carry all before it (verse 18). There will then ensue a time of "vexation" and discomfort (verses 19, 20)—God's anger will be poured out upon the land in strange ways (verse 21). He therefore warns the rulers to lay aside their scorn of God, and humble themselves, lest a worse thing happen to them (verse 22).