5 Woe to Assyria , the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hands is My indignation , 6 I send it against a godless nation And commission it against the people of My fury To capture booty and to seize plunder , And to trample them down like mud in the streets . 7 Yet it does not so intend , Nor does it plan so in its heart , But rather it is its purpose to destroy And to cut off many e nations . 8 For it says , "Are not my princes all kings ? 9 "Is not Calno like Carchemish , Or Hamath like Arpad , Or Samaria like Damascus ? 10 "As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols , Whose graven images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria , 11 Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her images Just as I have done to Samaria and her idols ?" 12 So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem , He will say, "I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness ." 13 For he has said , "By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this, For I have understanding ; And I removed the boundaries of the peoples And plundered their treasures , And like a mighty man I brought down their inhabitants , 14 And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a nest , And as one gathers abandoned eggs , I gathered all the earth ; And there was not one that flapped its wing or opened its beak or chirped ." 15 Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it? That would be like a club wielding those who lift it, Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood . 16 Therefore the Lord , the GOD of hosts , will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors ; And under his glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame . 17 And the light of Israel will become a fire and his Holy One a flame , And it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day . 18 And He will destroy the glory of his forest and of his fruitful garden , both soul and body , And it will be as when a sick man wastes away . 19 And the rest of the trees of his forest will be so small in number That a child could write them down .
20 Now in that day the remnant of Israel , and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped , will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the Lord , the Holy One of Israel . 21 A remnant will return , the remnant of Jacob , to the mighty God . 22 For though your people , O Israel , may be like the sand of the sea , Only a remnant within them will return ; A destruction is determined , overflowing with righteousness . 23 For a complete destruction , one that is decreed , the Lord GOD of hosts will execute in the midst of the whole land .
24 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts , "O My people who dwell in Zion , do not fear the Assyrian who strikes you with the rod and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did. 25 "For in a very little while My indignation against you will be spent and My anger will be directed to their destruction ." 26 The Lord of hosts will arouse a scourge against him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb ; and His staff will be over the sea and He will lift it up the way He did in Egypt . 27 So it will be in that day , that his burden will be removed from your shoulders and his yoke from your neck , and the yoke will be broken because e of fatness . 28 He has come against Aiath , He has passed through Migron ; At Michmash he deposited his baggage . 29 They have gone through the pass , saying, " Geba will be our lodging place ." Ramah is terrified , and Gibeah of Saul has fled away. 30 Cry aloud with your voice , O daughter of Gallim ! Pay attention , Laishah and wretched Anathoth ! 31 Madmenah has fled . The inhabitants of Gebim have sought refuge . 32 Yet today he will halt at Nob ; He shakes his fist at the mountain of the daughter of Zion , the hill of Jerusalem . 33 Behold , the Lord , the GOD of hosts , will lop off the boughs with a terrible crash ; Those also who are tall in stature will be cut down And those who are lofty will be abased . 34 He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an iron axe, And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 10:5-34
Commentary on Isaiah 10:5-19
(Read Isaiah 10:5-19)
See what a change sin made. The king of Assyria, in his pride, thought to act by his own will. The tyrants of the world are tools of Providence. God designs to correct his people for their hypocrisy, and bring them nearer to him; but is that Sennacherib's design? No; he designs to gratify his own covetousness and ambition. The Assyrian boasts what great things he has done to other nations, by his own policy and power. He knows not that it is God who makes him what he is, and puts the staff into his hand. He had done all this with ease; none moved the wing, or cried as birds do when their nests are rifled. Because he conquered Samaria, he thinks Jerusalem would fall of course. It was lamentable that Jerusalem should have set up graven images, and we cannot wonder that she was excelled in them by the heathen. But is it not equally foolish for Christians to emulate the people of the world in vanities, instead of keeping to things which are their special honour? For a tool to boast, or to strive against him that formed it, would not be more out of the way, than for Sennacherib to vaunt himself against Jehovah. When God brings his people into trouble, it is to bring sin to their remembrance, and humble them, and to awaken them to a sense of their duty; this must be the fruit, even the taking away of sin. When these points are gained by the affliction, it shall be removed in mercy. This attempt upon Zion and Jerusalem should come to nothing. God will be as a fire to consume the workers of iniquity, both soul and body. The desolation should be as when a standard-bearer fainteth, and those who follow are put to confusion. Who is able to stand before this great and holy Lord God?
Commentary on Isaiah 10:20-34
(Read Isaiah 10:20-34)
By our afflictions we may learn not to make creatures our confidence. Those only can with comfort stay upon God, who return to him in truth, not in pretence and profession only. God will justly bring this wasting away on a provoking people, but will graciously set bounds to it. It is against the mind and will of God, that his people, whatever happens, should give way to fear. God's anger against his people is but for a moment; and when that is turned from us, we need not fear the fury of man. The rod with which he corrected his people, shall not only be laid aside, but thrown into the fire. To encourage God's people, the prophet puts them in mind of what God had formerly done against the enemies of his church. God's people shall be delivered from the Assyrians. Some think it looks to the deliverance of the Jews out of their captivity; and further yet, to the redemption of believers from the tyranny of sin and Satan. And this, "because of the anointing;" for his people Israel's sake, the believers among them that had received the unction of Divine grace. And for the sake of the Messiah, the Anointed of God. Here is, verses 28-34, a prophetical description of Sennacherib's march towards Jerusalem, when he threatened to destroy that city. Then the Lord, in whom Hezekiah trusted, cut down his army like the hewing of a forest. Let us apply what is here written, to like matters in other ages of the church of Christ. Because of the anointing of our great Redeemer, the yoke of every antichrist must be broken from off his church: and if our souls partake of the unction of the Holy Spirit, complete and eternal deliverances will be secured to us.