night. A Homonym. Hebrew. nesheph = darkness, here, but daylight in Job 7:4 . 1 Samuel 30:17 . See notes there. The Revised Version, in doubt, renders it here "twilight".
threshing. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause) for the results of it. Here = my oppressed People. Compare Isaiah 41:15 .Micah 4:13 .Jeremiah 51:33 .
corn of my floor. Literally son of my threshingfloor.
Dumah = Edom. An abbreviated form of fuller name "Idumea" (Isaiah 34:5 .Ezekiel 35:15 ; Ezekiel 36:5 .Mark 3:8; Mark 3:8 ).
Dumah = silence, prophetic of its end.
Seir. The inheritance of Esau (or Edom).
what of the night? = how far is it in the night? Note the Figure of speech Epizeuxis . Repeated in an abbreviated form thus: Hebrew. shomer mah-millayelah? shomer ma-milleyl ? = how far gone is the night? how far gone the night? This is Edom's inquiry.
Verse 1
burden. The fifth of the seven burdens.
of = relating to. Genitive of Relation. App-17 .
the sea. The waters of the Euphrates in flood were so called, as the Nile was (Isaiah 19:6 ). Compare Revelation 17:3 , Revelation 17:15 .
whirlwinds = storms.
pass = sweep.
Verse 2
dealer = one.
sighing. Caused by the oppression of Babylon.
Verse 4
night. A Homonym. Hebrew. nesheph = darkness, here, but daylight in Job 7:4 . 1 Samuel 30:17 . See notes there. The Revised Version, in doubt, renders it here "twilight".
pleasure = joy.
fear = trembling.
Verse 5
Prepare, &c. Figure of speech Irony. App-6 .
Verse 7
a chariot = a troop.
a chariot with a couple of horsemen = a troop of horsemen in pairs.
Verse 8
Alion: My LORD*. Read: [as] a lion, "O LORD", &c.
Verse 9
men. Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 .
Babylon is fallen, &c. Note the Figure of speech Epizeuxis , for emphasis.
the graven images of her gods. Reference to Pentateuch. Phrase peculiar to Deuteronomy 7:25 ; Deuteronomy 12:3 . App-92 .
Verse 10
threshing. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause) for the results of it. Here = my oppressed People. Compare Isaiah 41:15 .Micah 4:13 .Jeremiah 51:33 .
corn of my floor. Literally son of my threshingfloor.
the LORD of hosts. See note on Isaiah 1:9 .
the God of Israel. See note on Isaiah 29:23 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
Verse 11
burden. The sixth of the seven burdens.
Dumah = Edom. An abbreviated form of fuller name "Idumea" (Isaiah 34:5 .Ezekiel 35:15 ; Ezekiel 36:5 .Mark 3:8; Mark 3:8 ).
Dumah = silence, prophetic of its end.
Seir. The inheritance of Esau (or Edom).
what of the night? = how far is it in the night? Note the Figure of speech Epizeuxis . Repeated in an abbreviated form thus: Hebrew. shomer mah-millayelah? shomer ma-milleyl ? = how far gone is the night? how far gone the night? This is Edom's inquiry.
Verse 12
The morning cometh, &c. This may be the oracle of silence implied in the name "Dumah" (see above, and compare Psalms 94:17 ; Psalms 115:17 ).
if ye will inquire. Isaiah had no answer. He is silent, but intimates that they may inquire again.
Verse 13
burden. The seventh and last of the seven burdens
upon Arabia: ba'rab = in Arabia.
in Arabia: or, in the evening, or, at sunset. The name is as significant as "Dumah" (Isaiah 21:11 ).
travelling companies = caravans.
Dedanim = Dedanites, Descendants of Abraham by Keturah: Dedan, son of Midian (Genesis 25:3 . 1 Chronicles 1:32 ).
Verse 14
Tema. Descendants of Abraham through Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis 25:3 . 1 Chronicles 1:32 )
: both mentioned in Jeremiah 25:23 .Job 6:19 .
brought = bring ye.
prevented = meet ye.
Verse 15
they fled. From the Assyrian invaders.
Verse 16
Within a year. Later afflictions were foretold in Jeremiah 49:28 .
Kedar. Another descendant of Abraham by Hagar through Ishmael (Genesis 25:13 ).
Verse 17
mighty men. Hebrew. gibbor . App-14 .
children = sons.