Isa 46:11, Jer 4:13, Lam 4:19, Hab 1:6 | JFB | STEP | 11. ravenous bird-- Cyrus so called on account of the rapidity of his marches from the distant regions of Persia to pounce on his prey (see on ; ; ; ). The standard of Cyrus, too, was a golden eagle on a spear (see the heathen historian, Xenophon, 7, where almost the same word is used, aetos, as here, ayit). executeth my counsel-- ( ; ). Babylon represents, mystically, the apostate faction: the destruction of its idols symbolizes the future general extirpation of all idolatry and unbelief. purposed ... also do it-- ( ).

‏ Isaiah 46:11

11. ravenous bird--Cyrus so called on account of the rapidity of his marches from the distant regions of Persia to pounce on his prey (see on Is 41:2; Is 41:25; Jr 49:22; Eze 17:3). The standard of Cyrus, too, was a golden eagle on a spear (see the heathen historian, Xenophon, 7, where almost the same word is used, aetos, as here, ayit).

executeth my counsel--(Is 44:28; 45:13). Babylon represents, mystically, the apostate faction: the destruction of its idols symbolizes the future general extirpation of all idolatry and unbelief.

purposed ... also do it--(Is 43:13).

‏ Jeremiah 4:13

13. clouds--continuing the metaphor in Jr 4:11:12. Clouds of sand and dust accompany the simoom, and after rapid gyrations ascend like a pillar.

eagles--(De 28:49; Ha 1:8).

Woe unto us--The people are graphically presented before us, without it being formally so stated, bursting out in these exclamations.

‏ Lamentations 4:19

19. The last times just before the taking of the city. There was no place of escape; the foe intercepted those wishing to escape from the famine-stricken city, "on the mountains and in the wilderness."

swifter ... than ... eagles--the Chaldean cavalry (Jr 4:13).

pursued--literally, "to be hot"; then, "to pursue hotly" (Ge 31:36). Thus they pursued and overtook Zedekiah (Jr 52:8, 9).

Resh.

‏ Habakkuk 1:6

6. I raise up--not referring to God's having brought the Chaldeans from their original seats to Babylonia (see on Is 23:13), for they had already been upwards of twenty years (since Nabopolassar's era) in political power there; but to His being about now to raise them up as the instruments of God's "work" of judgment on the Jews (2Ch 36:6). The Hebrew is future, "I will raise up."

bitter--that is, cruel (Jr 50:42; compare Jud 18:25, Margin; 2Sa 17:8).

hasty--not passionate, but "impetuous."