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Isaiah 30:27

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

And the burden thereof is heavy "And the flame raged violently" - משאה massaah ; this word seems to be rightly rendered in our translation, the flame, Judges 20:38, Judges 20:40, etc.; a sign of fire, Jeremiah 6:1; called properly משאת masseeth, an elevation, from its tending upwards.

Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

Behold, the name of the Lord cometh - (compare the notes at Isaiah 19:1). The verses following, to the end of the chapter, are designed evidently to describe the destruction of the army of Sennacherib. This is expressly declared in Isaiah 30:31, and all the circumstances in the prediction accord with that event. There is no necessity of supposing that this is the commencement of a new prophecy, for it is connected with the main subject in the previous part of the chapter. The whole prophecy was composed evidently in view of that threatened invasion. In the apprehension of that, they sought the aid of Egypt Isaiah 30:1-6, for that, the prophet denounces judgment on them (Isaiah 30:8 ff); in view of these judgments, however, he promises a more happy state Isaiah 30:18-26; and now, in the close of the chapter, in order to deter them from the alliance, he assures them that, without any foreign aid, the Assyrian would be destroyed by Yahweh himself. The phrase ‹name of Yahweh,‘ is probably another mode of designating Yahweh himself; as the name of God is often put for God himself (see Acts 3:6-7, Acts 3:12,30; Acts 4:10; 1 Corinthians 1:10). The idea is, that the destruction of the Assyrian hosts would be accomplished by the immediate power of Yahweh himself without any need of the aid of the Egyptian or of any foreign alliances.

From afar - That is, from heaven (compare the note at Isaiah 19:1).

Burning with his anger - Or, rather, his anger is enkindled.

And the burden thereof - Margin, ‹Grievousness of flame.‘ Lowth renders it, ‹The flame rageth violently.‘ Noyes, ‹Violent is the flame.‘ The Septuagint renders it, ‹A burning wrath‘ The word משׂאה mas'â'âh from נשׂא nâs'â' “to bear, lift up, carry,” means properly a lifting up Psalm 141:2; a burden Zephaniah 3:18; then a mounting up, particularly of a flame or smoke in a conflagration Judges 20:38. This seems to be the idea here, that the anger of God would be like a heavy, dark column of mingled smoke and flame bursting out, and rising up over a city.

His lips are full of indignation - All this language is of course figurative, and means that he would issue a command to destroy the Assyrians, or that they would be destroyed in such a manner as most effectively to exhibit his displeasure.

And his tongue as a devouring fire - That is, he shall issue a command that shall destroy like a raging and devouring fire.

Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary
God curbs and restrains from doing mischief. With a word he guides his people into the right way, but with a bridle he turns his enemies upon their own ruin. Here, in threatening the ruin of Sennacherib's army, the prophet points at the final and everlasting destruction of all impenitent sinners. Tophet was a valley near Jerusalem, where fires were continually burning to destroy things that were hurtful and offensive, and there the idolatrous Jews caused their children to pass through the fire to Moloch. This denotes the certainty of the destruction, as an awful emblem of the place of torment in the other world. No oppressor shall escape the Divine wrath. Let sinners then flee to Christ, seeking to be reconciled to Him, that they may be safe and happy, when destruction from the Almighty shall sweep away all the workers of iniquity.