Isa 14:21-23 | JFB | STEP | 21. Prepare, &c.—charge to the Medes and Persians, as if they were God's conscious instruments. his children —Belshazzar's ( ). rise —to occupy the places of their fathers. fill . . . with cities —MAURER translates, "enemies," as the Hebrew means in ; namely, lest they inundate the world with their armies. VITRINGA translates, "disturbers." In English Version the meaning is, "lest they fill the land with such cities" of pride as Babylon was.

Isaiah 14:21-23

21. Prepare, &c.—charge to the Medes and Persians, as if they were God's conscious instruments.

his children—Belshazzar's (Ex 20:5).

rise—to occupy the places of their fathers.

fill . . . with cities—MAURER translates, "enemies," as the Hebrew means in 1Sa 28:16; Ps 139:20; namely, lest they inundate the world with their armies. VITRINGA translates, "disturbers." In English Version the meaning is, "lest they fill the land with such cities" of pride as Babylon was.

22. against them—the family of the king of Babylon.

name—all the male representatives, so that the name shall become extinct (Isa 56:5; Ru 4:5).

remnant—all that is left of them. The dynasty shall cease (Da 5:28-31). Compare as to Babylon in general, Jer 51:62.

23. bittern—rather, "the hedgehog" [MAURER and GESENIUS]. STRABO (16:1) states that enormous hedgehogs were found in the islands of the Euphrates.

pools—owing to Cyrus turning the waters of the Euphrates over the country.

besom—sweep-net [MAURER], (1Ki 14:10; 2Ki 21:13).

Isa 14:24-27. A FRAGMENT AS TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ASSYRIANS UNDER SENNACHERIB.

This would comfort the Jews when captives in Babylon, being a pledge that God, who had by that time fulfilled the promise concerning Sennacherib (though now still future), would also fulfil His promise as to destroying Babylon, Judah's enemy.