11 The burden H4853 of Dumah. H1746 He calleth H7121 to me out of Seir, H8165 Watchman, H8104 what of the night? H3915 Watchman, H8104 what of the night? H3915
Concerning Edom, H123 thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 Is wisdom H2451 no more in Teman? H8487 is counsel H6098 perished H6 from the prudent? H995 is their wisdom H2451 vanished? H5628 Flee H5127 ye, turn back, H6437 dwell H3427 deep, H6009 O inhabitants H3427 of Dedan; H1719 for I will bring H935 the calamity H343 of Esau H6215 upon him, the time H6256 that I will visit H6485 him. If grapegatherers H1219 come H935 to thee, would they not leave H7604 some gleaning grapes? H5955 if thieves H1590 by night, H3915 they will destroy H7843 till they have enough. H1767 But I have made Esau H6215 bare, H2834 I have uncovered H1540 his secret places, H4565 and he shall not be able H3201 to hide H2247 himself: his seed H2233 is spoiled, H7703 and his brethren, H251 and his neighbours, H7934 and he is not. Leave H5800 thy fatherless children, H3490 I will preserve them alive; H2421 and let thy widows H490 trust H982 in me. For thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Behold, they whose judgment H4941 was not to drink H8354 of the cup H3563 have assuredly H8354 drunken; H8354 and art thou he that shall altogether H5352 go unpunished? H5352 thou shalt not go unpunished, H5352 but thou shalt surely H8354 drink H8354 of it. For I have sworn H7650 by myself, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 that Bozrah H1224 shall become a desolation, H8047 a reproach, H2781 a waste, H2721 and a curse; H7045 and all the cities H5892 thereof shall be perpetual H5769 wastes. H2723 I have heard H8085 a rumour H8052 from the LORD, H3068 and an ambassador H6735 is sent H7971 unto the heathen, H1471 saying, Gather ye together, H6908 and come H935 against her, and rise up H6965 to the battle. H4421 For, lo, I will make H5414 thee small H6996 among the heathen, H1471 and despised H959 among men. H120 Thy terribleness H8606 hath deceived H5377 thee, and the pride H2087 of thine heart, H3820 O thou that dwellest H7931 in the clefts H2288 of the rock, H5553 that holdest H8610 the height H4791 of the hill: H1389 though thou shouldest make thy nest H7064 as high H1361 as the eagle, H5404 I will bring thee down H3381 from thence, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Also Edom H123 shall be a desolation: H8047 every one that goeth H5674 by it shall be astonished, H8074 and shall hiss H8319 at all the plagues H4347 thereof. As in the overthrow H4114 of Sodom H5467 and Gomorrah H6017 and the neighbour H7934 cities thereof, saith H559 the LORD, H3068 no man H376 shall abide H3427 there, neither shall a son H1121 of man H120 dwell H1481 in it. Behold, he shall come up H5927 like a lion H738 from the swelling H1347 of Jordan H3383 against the habitation H5116 of the strong: H386 but I will suddenly H7280 make him run away H7323 from her: and who is a chosen H977 man, that I may appoint H6485 over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? H3259 and who is that shepherd H7462 that will stand H5975 before H6440 me? Therefore hear H8085 the counsel H6098 of the LORD, H3068 that he hath taken H3289 against Edom; H123 and his purposes, H4284 that he hath purposed H2803 against the inhabitants H3427 of Teman: H8487 Surely the least H6810 of the flock H6629 shall draw them out: H5498 surely he shall make their habitations H5116 desolate H8074 with them. The earth H776 is moved H7493 at the noise H6963 of their fall, H5307 at the cry H6818 the noise H6963 thereof was heard H8085 in the Red H5488 sea. H3220 Behold, he shall come up H5927 and fly H1675 as the eagle, H5404 and spread H6566 his wings H3671 over Bozrah: H1224 and at that day H3117 shall the heart H3820 of the mighty men H1368 of Edom H123 be as the heart H3820 of a woman H802 in her pangs. H6887
I have loved H157 you, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Yet ye say, H559 Wherein hast thou loved H157 us? Was not Esau H6215 Jacob's H3290 brother? H251 saith H559 the LORD: H3068 yet I loved H157 Jacob, H3290 And I hated H8130 Esau, H6215 and laid H7760 his mountains H2022 and his heritage H5159 waste H8077 for the dragons H8568 of the wilderness. H4057 Whereas Edom H123 saith, H559 We are impoverished, H7567 but we will return H7725 and build H1129 the desolate places; H2723 thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 They shall build, H1129 but I will throw down; H2040 and they shall call H7121 them, The border H1366 of wickedness, H7564 and, The people H5971 against whom the LORD H3068 hath indignation H2194 for H5704 ever. H5769
The vision H2377 of Obadiah. H5662 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 concerning Edom; H123 We have heard H8085 a rumour H8052 from the LORD, H3068 and an ambassador H6735 is sent H7971 among the heathen, H1471 Arise H6965 ye, and let us rise up H6965 against her in battle. H4421 Behold, I have made H5414 thee small H6996 among the heathen: H1471 thou art greatly H3966 despised. H959 The pride H2087 of thine heart H3820 hath deceived H5377 thee, thou that dwellest H7931 in the clefts H2288 of the rock, H5553 whose habitation H3427 is high; H4791 that saith H559 in his heart, H3820 Who shall bring me down H3381 to the ground? H776 Though thou exalt H1361 thyself as the eagle, H5404 and though thou set H7760 thy nest H7064 among the stars, H3556 thence will I bring thee down, H3381 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 If thieves H1590 came H935 to thee, if robbers H7703 by night, H3915 (how art thou cut off!) H1820 would they not have stolen H1589 till they had enough? H1767 if the grapegatherers H1219 came H935 to thee, would they not leave H7604 some grapes? H5955 How are the things of Esau H6215 searched out! H2664 how are his hidden H4710 things sought up! H1158 All the men H582 of thy confederacy H1285 have brought H7971 thee even to the border: H1366 the men H582 that were at peace H7965 with thee have deceived H5377 thee, and prevailed H3201 against thee; they that eat thy bread H3899 have laid H7760 a wound H4204 under thee: there is none understanding H8394 in him. Shall I not in that day, H3117 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 even destroy H6 the wise H2450 men out of Edom, H123 and understanding H8394 out of the mount H2022 of Esau? H6215 And thy mighty H1368 men, O Teman, H8487 shall be dismayed, H2865 to the end that every one H376 of the mount H2022 of Esau H6215 may be cut off H3772 by slaughter. H6993 For thy violence H2555 against thy brother H251 Jacob H3290 shame H955 shall cover H3680 thee, and thou shalt be cut off H3772 for ever. H5769 In the day H3117 that thou stoodest H5975 on the other side, in the day H3117 that the strangers H2114 carried away captive H7617 his forces, H2428 and foreigners H5237 entered H935 into his gates, H8179 and cast H3032 lots H1486 upon Jerusalem, H3389 even thou wast as one H259 of them. But thou shouldest not have looked H7200 on the day H3117 of thy brother H251 in the day H3117 that he became a stranger; H5235 neither shouldest thou have rejoiced H8055 over the children H1121 of Judah H3063 in the day H3117 of their destruction; H6 neither shouldest thou have spoken H6310 proudly H1431 in the day H3117 of distress. H6869 Thou shouldest not have entered H935 into the gate H8179 of my people H5971 in the day H3117 of their calamity; H343 yea, thou shouldest not have looked H7200 on their affliction H7451 in the day H3117 of their calamity, H343 nor have laid H7971 hands on their substance H2428 in the day H3117 of their calamity; H343 Neither shouldest thou have stood H5975 in the crossway, H6563 to cut off H3772 those of his that did escape; H6412 neither shouldest thou have delivered up H5462 those of his that did remain H8300 in the day H3117 of distress. H6869 For the day H3117 of the LORD H3068 is near H7138 upon all the heathen: H1471 as thou hast done, H6213 it shall be done H6213 unto thee: thy reward H1576 shall return H7725 upon thine own head. H7218 For as ye have drunk H8354 upon my holy H6944 mountain, H2022 so shall all the heathen H1471 drink H8354 continually, H8548 yea, they shall drink, H8354 and they shall swallow down, H3886 and they shall be as though they had not H3808 been.
Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 For three H7969 transgressions H6588 of Edom, H123 and for four, H702 I will not turn away H7725 the punishment thereof; because he did pursue H7291 his brother H251 with the sword, H2719 and did cast off H7843 all pity, H7356 and his anger H639 did tear H2963 perpetually, H5703 and he kept H8104 his wrath H5678 for ever: H5331 But I will send H7971 a fire H784 upon Teman, H8487 which shall devour H398 the palaces H759 of Bozrah. H1224
Moreover the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto me, saying, H559 Son H1121 of man, H120 set H7760 thy face H6440 against mount H2022 Seir, H8165 and prophesy H5012 against it, And say H559 unto it, Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Behold, O mount H2022 Seir, H8165 I am against thee, and I will stretch out H5186 mine hand H3027 against thee, and I will make H5414 thee most H4923 desolate. H8077 I will lay H7760 thy cities H5892 waste, H2723 and thou shalt be desolate, H8077 and thou shalt know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068 Because thou hast had a perpetual H5769 hatred, H342 and hast shed H5064 the blood of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 by the force H3027 of the sword H2719 in the time H6256 of their calamity, H343 in the time H6256 that their iniquity H5771 had an end: H7093 Therefore, as I live, H2416 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 I will prepare H6213 thee unto blood, H1818 and blood H1818 shall pursue H7291 thee: sith H518 thou hast not hated H8130 blood, H1818 even blood H1818 shall pursue H7291 thee. Thus will I make H5414 mount H2022 Seir H8165 most H8077 desolate, H8077 and cut off H3772 from it him that passeth out H5674 and him that returneth. H7725 And I will fill H4390 his mountains H2022 with his slain H2491 men: in thy hills, H1389 and in thy valleys, H1516 and in all thy rivers, H650 shall they fall H5307 that are slain H2491 with the sword. H2719 I will make H5414 thee perpetual H5769 desolations, H8077 and thy cities H5892 shall not return: H7725 H3427 and ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068 Because thou hast said, H559 These two H8147 nations H1471 and these two H8147 countries H776 shall be mine, and we will possess H3423 it; whereas the LORD H3068 was there: Therefore, as I live, H2416 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 I will even do H6213 according to thine anger, H639 and according to thine envy H7068 which thou hast used H6213 out of thy hatred H8135 against them; and I will make myself known H3045 among them, when I have judged H8199 thee. And thou shalt know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 and that I have heard H8085 all thy blasphemies H5007 which thou hast spoken H559 against the mountains H2022 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 They are laid desolate, H8074 H8077 they are given H5414 us to consume. H402 Thus with your mouth H6310 ye have boasted H1431 against me, and have multiplied H6280 your words H1697 against me: I have heard H8085 them. Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 When the whole earth H776 rejoiceth, H8055 I will make H6213 thee desolate. H8077 As thou didst rejoice H8057 at the inheritance H5159 of the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 because it was desolate, H8074 so will I do H6213 unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, H8077 O mount H2022 Seir, H8165 and all Idumea, H123 even all of it: and they shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068
Who is this that cometh H935 from Edom, H123 with dyed H2556 garments H899 from Bozrah? H1224 this that is glorious H1921 in his apparel, H3830 travelling H6808 in the greatness H7230 of his strength? H3581 I that speak H1696 in righteousness, H6666 mighty H7227 to save. H3467 Wherefore art thou red H122 in thine apparel, H3830 and thy garments H899 like him that treadeth H1869 in the winefat? H1660 I have trodden H1869 the winepress H6333 alone; and of the people H5971 there was none H376 with me: for I will tread H1869 them in mine anger, H639 and trample H7429 them in my fury; H2534 and their blood H5332 shall be sprinkled H5137 upon my garments, H899 and I will stain H1351 all my raiment. H4403 For the day H3117 of vengeance H5359 is in mine heart, H3820 and the year H8141 of my redeemed H1350 is come. H935 And I looked, H5027 and there was none to help; H5826 and I wondered H8074 that there was none to uphold: H5564 therefore mine own arm H2220 brought salvation H3467 unto me; and my fury, H2534 it upheld H5564 me. And I will tread down H947 the people H5971 in mine anger, H639 and make them drunk H7937 in my fury, H2534 and I will bring down H3381 their strength H5332 to the earth. H776
Come near, H7126 ye nations, H1471 to hear; H8085 and hearken, H7181 ye people: H3816 let the earth H776 hear, H8085 and all that is therein; H4393 the world, H8398 and all things that come forth H6631 of it. For the indignation H7110 of the LORD H3068 is upon all nations, H1471 and his fury H2534 upon all their armies: H6635 he hath utterly destroyed H2763 them, he hath delivered H5414 them to the slaughter. H2874 Their slain H2491 also shall be cast out, H7993 and their stink H889 shall come up H5927 out of their carcases, H6297 and the mountains H2022 shall be melted H4549 with their blood. H1818 And all the host H6635 of heaven H8064 shall be dissolved, H4743 and the heavens H8064 shall be rolled together H1556 as a scroll: H5612 and all their host H6635 shall fall down, H5034 as the leaf H5929 falleth off H5034 from the vine, H1612 and as a falling H5034 fig from the fig tree. H8384 For my sword H2719 shall be bathed H7301 in heaven: H8064 behold, it shall come down H3381 upon Idumea, H123 and upon the people H5971 of my curse, H2764 to judgment. H4941 The sword H2719 of the LORD H3068 is filled H4390 with blood, H1818 it is made fat H1878 with fatness, H2459 and with the blood H1818 of lambs H3733 and goats, H6260 with the fat H2459 of the kidneys H3629 of rams: H352 for the LORD H3068 hath a sacrifice H2077 in Bozrah, H1224 and a great H1419 slaughter H2874 in the land H776 of Idumea. H123 And the unicorns H7214 shall come down H3381 with them, and the bullocks H6499 with the bulls; H47 and their land H776 shall be soaked H7301 with blood, H1818 and their dust H6083 made fat H1878 with fatness. H2459 For it is the day H3117 of the LORD'S H3068 vengeance, H5359 and the year H8141 of recompences H7966 for the controversy H7379 of Zion. H6726 And the streams H5158 thereof shall be turned H2015 into pitch, H2203 and the dust H6083 thereof into brimstone, H1614 and the land H776 thereof shall become burning H1197 pitch. H2203 It shall not be quenched H3518 night H3915 nor day; H3119 the smoke H6227 thereof shall go up H5927 for ever: H5769 from generation H1755 to generation H1755 it shall lie waste; H2717 none shall pass through H5674 it for ever H5331 and ever. H5331 But the cormorant H6893 and the bittern H7090 shall possess H3423 it; the owl H3244 also and the raven H6158 shall dwell H7931 in it: and he shall stretch out H5186 upon it the line H6957 of confusion, H8414 and the stones H68 of emptiness. H922 They shall call H7121 the nobles H2715 thereof to the kingdom, H4410 but none shall be there, and all her princes H8269 shall be nothing. H657 And thorns H5518 shall come up H5927 in her palaces, H759 nettles H7057 and brambles H2336 in the fortresses H4013 thereof: and it shall be an habitation H5116 of dragons, H8577 and a court H2681 for owls. H1323 H3284 The wild beasts of the desert H6728 shall also meet H6298 with the wild beasts of the island, H338 and the satyr H8163 shall cry H7121 to his fellow; H7453 the screech owl H3917 also shall rest H7280 there, and find H4672 for herself a place of rest. H4494 There shall the great owl H7091 make her nest, H7077 and lay, H4422 and hatch, H1234 and gather H1716 under her shadow: H6738 there shall the vultures H1772 also be gathered, H6908 every one H802 with her mate. H7468 Seek ye out H1875 of the book H5612 of the LORD, H3068 and read: H7121 no one H259 of these H2007 shall fail, H5737 none H802 shall want H6485 her mate: H7468 for my mouth H6310 it hath commanded, H6680 and his spirit H7307 it hath gathered H6908 them. And he hath cast H5307 the lot H1486 for them, and his hand H3027 hath divided H2505 it unto them by line: H6957 they shall possess H3423 it for H5704 ever, H5769 from generation H1755 to generation H1755 shall they dwell H7931 therein.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 21
Commentary on Isaiah 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 21
Isa 21:1-10. Repetition of the Assurance Given in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Chapters to the Jews About to Be Captives in Babylon, that Their Enemy Should Be Destroyed and They Be Delivered.
He does not narrate the event, but graphically supposes himself a watchman in Babylon, beholding the events as they pass.
1. desert—the champaign between Babylon and Persia; it was once a desert, and it was to become so again.
of the sea—The plain was covered with the water of the Euphrates like a "sea" (Jer 51:13, 36; so Isa 11:15, the Nile), until Semiramis raised great dams against it. Cyrus removed these dykes, and so converted the whole country again into a vast desert marsh.
whirlwinds in the south—(Job 37:9; Zec 9:14). The south wind comes upon Babylon from the deserts of Arabia, and its violence is the greater from its course being unbroken along the plain (Job 1:19).
desert—the plain between Babylon and Persia.
terrible land—Media; to guard against which was the object of Nitocris' great works [Herodotus, 1.185]. Compare as to "terrible" applied to a wilderness, as being full of unknown dangers, De 1:29.
2. dealeth treacherously—referring to the military stratagem employed by Cyrus in taking Babylon. It may be translated, "is repaid with treachery"; then the subject of the verb is Babylon. She is repaid in her own coin; Isa 33:1; Hab 2:8, favor this.
Go up—Isaiah abruptly recites the order which he hears God giving to the Persians, the instruments of His vengeance (Isa 13:3, 17).
Elam—a province of Persia, the original place of their settlement (Ge 10:22), east of the Euphrates. The name "Persia" was not in use until the captivity; it means a "horseman"; Cyrus first trained the Persians in horsemanship. It is a mark of authenticity that the name is not found before Daniel and Ezekiel [Bochart].
thereof—the "sighing" caused by Babylon (Isa 14:7, 8).
3. Isaiah imagines himself among the exiles in Babylon and cannot help feeling moved by the calamities which come on it. So for Moab (Isa 15:5; 16:11).
pain—(Compare Isa 13:8; Eze 30:4, 19; Na 2:10).
at the hearing—The Hebrew may mean, "I was so bowed down that I could not hear; I was so dismayed that I could not see" (Ge 16:2; Ps 69:23) [Maurer].
4. panted—"is bewildered" [Barnes].
night of my pleasure—The prophet supposes himself one of the banqueters at Belshazzar's feast, on the night that Babylon was about to be taken by surprise; hence his expression, "my pleasure" (Isa 14:11; Jer 51:39; Da 5:1-31).
5. Prepare the table—namely, the feast in Babylon; during which Cyrus opened the dykes made by Semiramis to confine the Euphrates to one channel and suffered them to overflow the country, so that he could enter Babylon by the channel of the river. Isaiah first represents the king ordering the feast to be got ready. The suddenness of the irruption of the foe is graphically expressed by the rapid turn in the language to an alarm addressed to the Babylonian princes, "Arise," &c. (compare Isa 22:13). Maurer translates, "They prepare the table," &c. But see Isa 8:9.
watch in … watchtower—rather, "set the watch." This done, they thought they might feast in entire security. Babylon had many watchtowers on its walls.
anoint … shield—This was done to prevent the leather of the shield becoming hard and liable to crack. "Make ready for defense"; the mention of the "shield" alone implies that it is the Babylonian revellers who are called on to prepare for instant self-defense. Horsley translates, "Grip the oiled shield."
6. Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth—God's direction to Isaiah to set a watchman to "declare" what he sees. But as in Isa 21:10, Isaiah himself is represented as the one who "declared." Horsley makes him the "watchman," and translates, "Come, let him who standeth on the watchtower report what he seeth."
7. chariot, &c.—rather, "a body of riders," namely, some riding in pairs on horses (literally, "pairs of horsemen," that is, two abreast), others on asses, others on camels (compare Isa 21:9; Isa 22:6). "Chariot" is not appropriate to be joined, as English Version translates, with "asses"; the Hebrew means plainly in Isa 21:7, as in Isa 21:9, "a body of men riding." The Persians used asses and camels for war [Maurer]. Horsley translates, "One drawn in a car, with a pair of riders, drawn by an ass, drawn by a camel"; Cyrus is the man; the car drawn by a camel and ass yoked together and driven by two postilions, one on each, is the joint army of Medes and Persians under their respective leaders. He thinks the more ancient military cars were driven by men riding on the beasts that drew them; Isa 21:9 favors this.
8. A lion—rather, "(The watchman) cried, I am as a lion"; so as is understood (Isa 62:5; Ps 11:1). The point of comparison to "a lion" is in Re 10:3, the loudness of the cry. But here it is rather his vigilance. The lion's eyelids are short, so that, even when asleep, he seems to be on the watch, awake; hence he was painted on doors of temples as the symbol of watchfulness, guarding the place (Hor. Apollo) [Horsley].
9. chariot of men—chariots with men in them; or rather, the same body of riders, horsemen two abreast, as in Isa 21:7 [Maurer]. But Horsley, "The man drawn in a car with a pair of riders." The first half of this verse describes what the watchman sees; the second half, what the watchman says, in consequence of what he sees. In the interval between Isa 21:7 and Isa 21:9, the overthrow of Babylon by the horsemen, or man in the car, is accomplished. The overthrow needed to be announced to the prophet by the watchman, owing to the great extent of the city. Herodotus (1.131) says that one part of the city was captured some time before the other received the tidings of it.
answered—not to something said previously, but in reference to the subject in the mind of the writer, to be collected from the preceding discourse: proclaimeth (Job 3:2, Margin; Da 2:26; Ac 5:8).
fallen … fallen—The repetition expresses emphasis and certainty (Ps 92:9; 93:3; compare Jer 51:8; Re 18:2).
images—Bel, Merodach, &c. (Jer 50:2; 51:44, 52). The Persians had no images, temples, or altars, and charged the makers of such with madness [Herodotus 1.131]; therefore they dashed the Babylonian "images broken unto the ground."
10. my threshing—that is, my people (the Jews) trodden down by Babylon.
corn of my floor—Hebrew, "my son of the floor," that is, my people, treated as corn laid on the floor for threshing; implying, too, that by affliction, a remnant (grain) would be separated from the ungodly (chaff) [Maurer]. Horsley translates, "O thou object of my unremitting prophetic pains." See Isa 28:27, 28. Some, from Jer 51:33, make Babylon the object of the threshing; but Isaiah is plainly addressing his countrymen, as the next words show, not the Babylonians.
Isa 21:11, 12. A Prophecy to the Idumeans Who Taunted the Afflicted Jews in the Babylonish Captivity.
One out of Seir asks, What of the night? Is there a hope of the dawn of deliverance? Isaiah replies, The morning is beginning to dawn (to us); but night is also coming (to you). Compare Ps 137:7. The Hebrew captives would be delivered, and taunting Edom punished. If the Idumean wish to ask again, he may do so; if he wishes an answer of peace for his country, then let him "return (repent), come" [Barnes].
11. Dumah—a tribe and region of Ishmael in Arabia (Ge 25:14; 1Ch 1:30); now called Dumah the Stony, situated on the confines of Arabia and the Syrian desert; a part put for the whole of Edom. Vitringa thinks "Dumah," Hebrew, "silence," is here used for Idumea, to imply that it was soon to be reduced to silence or destruction.
Seir—the principal mountain in Idumea, south of the Dead Sea, in Arabia-Petræa. "He calleth" ought to be rather, "There is a call from Seir."
to me—Isaiah. So the heathen Balak and Ahaziah received oracles from a Hebrew prophet.
Watchman—the prophet (Isa 62:6; Jer 6:17), so called, because, like a watchman on the lookout from a tower, he announces future events which he sees in prophetic vision (Hab 2:1, 2).
what of the night—What tidings have you to give as to the state of the night? Rather, "What remains of the night?" How much of it is past? [Maurer]. "Night" means calamity (Job 35:10; Mic 3:6), which, then, in the wars between Egypt and Assyria, pressed sore on Edom; or on Judah (if, as Barnes thinks, the question is asked in mockery of the suffering Jews in Babylon). The repetition of the question marks, in the former view, the anxiety of the Idumeans.
12. Reply of the prophet, The morning (prosperity) cometh, and (soon after follows) the night (adversity). Though you, Idumeans, may have a gleam of prosperity, it will soon be followed by adversity again. Otherwise, as Barnes, "Prosperity cometh (to the Jews) to be quickly followed by adversity (to you, Idumeans, who exult in the fall of Jerusalem, have seized on the southern part of their land in their absence during the captivity, and now deride them by your question)" (Isa 34:5-7). This view is favored by Ob 10-21.
if ye will inquire, inquire—If ye choose to consult me again, do so (similar phrases occur in Ge 43:14; 2Ki 7:4; Es 4:16).
return, come—"Be converted to God (and then), come" [Gesenius]; you will then receive a more favorable answer.
Isa 21:13-17. Prophecy that Arabia Would Be Overrun by a Foreign Foe within a Year.
Probably in the wars between Assyria and Egypt; Idumea and Arabia lay somewhat on the intermediate line of march.
13. upon—that is, respecting.
forest—not a grove of trees, but a region of thick underwood, rugged and inaccessible; for Arabia has no forest of trees.
travelling companies—caravans: ye shall be driven through fear of the foe to unfrequented routes (Isa 33:8; Jud 5:6; Jer 49:8 is parallel to this passage).
Dedanim—In North Arabia (Ge 25:3; Jer 25:23; Eze 25:13; 27:20; a different "Dedan" occurs Ge 10:7).
14. Tema—a kindred tribe: an oasis in that region (Jer 25:23). The Temeans give water to the faint and thirsting Dedanites; the greatest act of hospitality in the burning lands of the East, where water is so scarce.
prevented—that is, anticipated the wants of the fugitive Dedanites by supplying bread (Ge 14:18).
their bread—rather, "his (the fugitive's) bread"; the bread due to him, necessary for his support; so "thy grave" (Isa 14:19), [Maurer].
15. they—the fugitive Dedanites and other Arabs.
16. years of … hireling—(See on Isa 16:14).
Kedar—a wandering tribe (Ps 120:5). North of Arabia-Petræa, and south of Arabia-Deserta; put for Arabia in general.
17. residue … diminished—The remnant of Arab warriors, famous in the bow, left after the invasion, shall be small.