Isaiah 10:12

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.

Isaiah 10:12 . Wherefore — Because of this impudent blasphemy; when the Lord hath performed his whole work — Of chastising his people as long as he sees fit. I will punish the fruit of the stout heart, &c. — Here it is foretold, says Bishop Newton, that when the Assyrians “shall have served the purposes of Divine Providence, they shall be severely punished for their pride and ambition, their tyranny and cruelty to their neighbours. Now there was no prospect of such an event” when Isaiah uttered this prediction, namely, “while the Assyrians were in the midst of their successes and triumphs; but still the word of the prophet prevailed; and it was not long after these calamities brought upon the Jews, that the Assyrian empire, properly so called, was overthrown, and Nineveh destroyed.”

Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed {h} his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart {i} of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. (h) When he has sufficiently chastised his people (for he begins at his own house) then will he burn the rods. (i) Meaning of Sennacherib.

Wherefore; because of this impudent blasphemy. Hath performed his whole work, of chastising his people so long and so much as he sees fit and necessary for them. Punish, Heb. visit , to wit, in wrath, as before on Isaiah 10:3 . The glory of his high looks; his insolent words and carriages, proceeding from intolerable pride of heart.

12. whole work—His entire plan is regard to the punishment of the Jews (Isa 10:5-7). Zion—the royal residence, the court, princes and nobles; as distinguished from "Jerusalem," the people in general. fruit—the result of, that is, the plants emanating from. stout—Hebrew, "greatness of," that is, pride of. glory—haughtiness.

12 . The verse seems to interrupt what might well have been a single speech of the Assyrian King, by a threat of the doom reserved for him. The arrogant assumption that Jehovah is a mere tribal deity, who is defeated when His images are overthrown, rouses the prophet to this indignant outburst. when the Lord hath performed ] completed , lit. “cut off.” The figure is taken from the cutting off of the finished web from the loom. See ch. Isaiah 38:12 ; also Zechariah 4:9 . his whole work ] The work of chastisement and purification, to be executed on mount Zion and on Jerusalem . the fruit of the stout heart (lit. “fruit of the pride of heart,” see ch. Isaiah 9:9 ) of the king of Assyria ] The “fruit” is the outcome of his pride in such language as Isaiah 10:8-11; Isaiah 10:13 f.

Verse 12. - Wherefore ; rather, but . The final result shall be such as "the Assyrian" little expected. When the Lord hath performed his whole work. The "work" assigned to Assyria was the destruction of the kingdom of Israel, and a share in the trial, punishment, and discipline of Judah. The last task seems to have been the humiliation of Manasseh, which brought about his repentance ( 2 Chronicles 33:11-13 ). Soon after this the troubles began which led to her destruction. I will punish . The sudden change from the third to the first person is harsh and abnormal, but not without parallels in other passages of Isaiah (see Isaiah 3:1-4 ; Isaiah 5:3, 4 , etc.). The fruit of the stout heart ; i.e. the actions, language, etc., which flowed from the stoutness of heart - such language, e.g., as that of vers. 8-11 and 13, 14. Of the King of Assyria . The menace is not leveled against any one particular king, as Sargon, or Sennacherib; but against the monarchy itself, which from first to last was actuated by the same spirit, and breathed the same tone, of pride, selfishness, and cruelty. (See the royal inscriptions, passim , which become more revolting as time goes on.) Isaiah 10:12

(12) Wherefore it shall come to pass . . . —Better, And it shall come to pass . . . The boast of the proud king is interrupted by the reassertion of the fact that he is but an instrument in the hand of Jehovah, and that when his work was done he too will be punished for his pride. The “fruit” of the “stout heart” includes all the words and acts in which his arrogance had shown itself.

Wherefore ... - In this verse God, by the prophet, threatens punishment to the king of Assyria for his pride, and wicked designs. His whole work - His entire plan in regard to the punishment of the Jews. He sent the king of Assyria for a specific purpose to execute his justice on the people of Jerusalem. That plan he would execute entirely by the hand of Sennacherib, and would "then" inflict deserved, punishment on Sennacherib himself, for his wicked purposes. Upon mount Zion - Mount Zion was a part of Jerusalem (see the note at Isaiah 1:8), but it was the residence of the court, the dwelling-place of David and his successors; and perhaps here, where it is mentioned as distinct from Jerusalem, it refers to the court, the princes, nobles, or the government. 'I will execute my purposes against the government, and the people of the city.' I will punish - Hebrew, 'I will visit;' but here, evidently used to denote punishment; see the note at Isaiah 10:3. The fruit of the stout heart - Hebrew, 'The fruit of the greatness of the heart.' The 'greatness of the heart,' is a Hebraism for pride of heart, or great swelling designs and plans formed in the heart. "Fruit" is that which a tree or the earth produces; and then anything which is produced or brought forth in any way. Here it means that which a proud heart had produced or designed, that is, plans of pride and ambition; schemes of conquest and of blood.

The glory of his high looks - Hebrew, 'The glory of the lifting up of his eyes' - an expression indicative of pride and haughtiness. The word "glory," here, evidently refers to the self-complacency, and the air of majesty and haughtiness, which a proud man assumes. In this verse we see - (1) That God will accomplish all the purposes of which he designs to make wicked people the instruments. "Their" schemes shall be successful just so far as they may contribute to "his" plans, and no further. (2) When that is done, they are completely in "his" power, and under his control. He can stay their goings when he pleases, and subdue them to his will. (3) The fact that they have been made to further the plans of God, and to execute his designs, will not free them from deserved punishment. They meant not so; and they will be dealt with according to "their" intentions, and not according to God's design to overrule them. "Their" plans were wicked; and if God brings good out of them, it is contrary to "their" intention; and hence, they are not to be screened from punishment because he brings good out of their plans, contrary to their designs. (4) Wicked people "are in fact" often thus punished. Nothing is more common on earth; and all the woes of hell will be an illustration of the principle.