For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.
to say (used with great latitude) · verb, qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular
lion
הָאַרְיֵ֨הha.'ar.Yeh
H738
a lion · definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
lion
וְהַכְּפִ֜ירve.ha.ke.Fir
H3715
a village (as covered in by walls) · conjunction + definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
roaring
יֶהְגֶּה֩yeh.Geh
H1897
to murmur (in pleasure or anger) · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
prey
טַרְפּ֗וֹtar.Po
H2964
something torn · noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Hosea 11:10 They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.
Amos 3:8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
Isaiah 42:13 The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his…
Zechariah 2:5 For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
Zechariah 12:8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the hous…
Zechariah 14:3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
Revelation 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, an…
Numbers 24:8-9 God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Isaiah 31:1-5
This is the last of four chapters together that begin with woe; and they are all woes to the sinners that were found among the professing people of God, to the drunkards of Ephraim (Isa 28:1), to Ariel (Isa 29:1), to the rebellious children (Isa 30:1), and here to those that go down to Egypt for help; for men's relation to the church will not secure them from divine woes if they live in contempt of divine laws. Observe,
I. What the sin was that is here reproved, Isa 31:1. 1. Idolizing the Egyptians, and making court to them, as if happy were the people that had the Egyptians for their friends and allies. They go down to Egypt for help in every exigence, as if the worshippers of false gods ha…
(Isa 42:13; Hos 11:10).
roaring on--"growling over" his prey.
abase himself--be disheartened or frightened.
Adam Clarke on Isaiah 31:4
Like as the lion - This comparison is exactly in the spirit and manner, and very nearly approaching to the expression, of Homer.
Βη ρ' ιμεν, ὡστε λεων ορεσιτροφος, ὁστ' επιδευης
Δηρον εῃ κρειων, κελεται δε ἑ θυμος αγηνωρ,
Μηλων πειρησοντα, και ες πυκινον δομον ελθειν·
Ειπερ γαρ χ' εὑρῃσι παρ' αυτοψι βωτορας ανδρας
Συν κυσι και δουρεσσι φυλασσοντας περι μηλα,
Ου ρα τ' απειρητος μεμονε σταθμοιο διεσθαι.
Αλλ' ὁγ' αῥ η ἡρπαξε μεταλμενος, ηε και αυτος
Εβλητ' εν πρωτοισι θοης απο χειρος ακοντι.
Iliad 12:299.
As the bold lion, mountain-bred, now long
Famished, with courage and with hunger stung
Attempts the thronged fold: him nought appals,
Though dogs and armed shepherds stand in guard
Co…
For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me,.... The prophet Isaiah, who had heard and received what follows from the Lord, and therefore it might be depended upon; and they are words of grace and mercy, promising preservation and deliverance; and therefore it was a foolish thing to send to Egypt for help:
Like as the lion, and the young lion roaring on his prey; or "muttering", or "growling over his prey" (r); for the lion roars when he is hungry, and wants a prey, and not when he has got one; but when he has one, and is tearing it in pieces, and feeding upon it, he makes a lower noise, a growling one, especially when he apprehends anyone near to disturb him:
when a multitude of shepherds is ca…
The Church Fathers
(Verses 4, 5.) For thus says the Lord to me: Just as when a lion roars, and a lion cub over its prey, when a multitude of shepherds come against it, it will not be afraid of their voices, nor terrified by their numbers; so the Lord of hosts will come down to fight upon Mount Zion and its hill. Like birds hovering, so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem, protecting and delivering, passing over and saving. In manifestis unam ponimus editionem, maxime ubi nulla diversitas sensuum est. Caesis in Aegypto Israelitis et Aegyptiis, in quorum auxilio confidebant, revertentur (( Al. revertuntur)) in Jerusalem, Cyro regnante, captivi. Et per duas similitudines, Domini, qui se fore adjutorem promiserat, fortitudo monstratur. Sicut leo et catulus leonis esuriens, si cernat ovium gregem, nulla pastorum voce terretur, et multitudinem eorum conscius virium suarum despicit: sic Dominus exercituum praeliabitur, non contra montem Sion et collem ejus, super montem Sion contra adversarios illius. Let us give another comparison: Just as birds defend their offspring by flying over their nests, and whether they see a snake or a human, the birds and others approach their chicks, forgetting their weakness, they fight with their beaks and claws, and with a chattering voice they express their anguish: so the Lord will protect Jerusalem and deliver it by passing over, and He will save it. For 'passing over' in Hebrew is 'Phase', and it is translated as 'ὑπερβαίνων' by the interpreters, apart from the Septuagint. From which it is clear that Pascha, that is, the Lord's Passover, does not signify His passion, but His passage. Moreover, that the Lord acted as the protector in the likeness of birds over Jerusalem, He Himself testifies in the Gospel: 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you' (Matt. XXIII, 37): how often have I desired to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing? And in Deuteronomy it is said of the Lord: He spread his wings and took them, and carried them on his shoulders (Deut. XXXII, 11).
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Hezekiah — Whom Jehovah has strengthened. (1.) Son of Ahaz (2 Kings 18:1; 2 Chr. 29:1), whom he succeeded on the throne of the kingdom of Judah. He reigned twenty-nine years (B.C. 726-697). The history of this…
Lion — “The most powerful, daring and impressive of all carnivorous animals, the most magnificent in aspect and awful in voice.” At present lions do not exist in Palestine; but they must in ancient times…
Shepherd — A word naturally of frequent occurence in Scripture. Sometimes the word “pastor” is used instead (Jer. 2:8; 3:15; 10:21; 12:10; 17:16). This word is used figuratively to represent the relation of…
Lion, The · Described as: Fearless even of man — Described as: Fearless even of man
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
Isaiah 31:4 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
multitude
מְלֹ֣אme.Lo'
H4393
fulness (literally or figuratively) · noun, common masculine singular construct
shepherds
רֹעִ֔יםro.'Im
H7462
to tend a flock · verb, qal active participle, masculine plural absolute
forth
יִקָּרֵ֤אyi.ka.Re'
H7121
to call out to (i.e. properly · verb, niphal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
afraid
יֵחָ֔תye.Chat
H2865
properly · verb, niphal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
voice
מִקּוֹלָם֙mi.ko.Lam
H6963
a voice or sound · preposition + noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine plural
abase
יַֽעֲנֶ֑הya.'a.Neh
H6031
to depress literally or figuratively · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
noise
וּמֵֽהֲמוֹנָ֖םu.me.ha.mo.Nam
H1995
a noise · conjunction + preposition + noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine plural
LORD
יְהוָ֣הYah.weh
H3068
Jehovah · proper noun, a title
hosts
צְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'ot
H6635
a mass of persons (or figuratively · noun, common feminine plural absolute
down
יֵרֵד֙ye.Red
H3381
to descend (literally · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
fight
לִצְבֹּ֥אlitz.Bo'
H6633
to mass (an army or servants) · preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct
mount
הַרhar-
H2022
a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figurative… · noun, common masculine singular construct
Zion
צִיּ֖וֹןtzi.Yon
H6726
Tsijon (as a permanent capital) · proper noun, a place name
hill
גִּבְעָתָֽהּgiv.'a.Tah
H1389
a hillock · noun, common feminine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person feminine singular
For thus hath Jehovah said to me. The Prophet adds this verse, that it may not be thought that the Lord leaves us destitute of necessary means; for if, while he forbids us to place our confidence in creatures, he did not promise us any assistance, we might complain that he gave ground for despair, and not for consolation; as we saw, a little before, that men are more careful and attentive than they ought to be, because they think that they will be deficient in thoughtfulness, if they rest satisfied with God alone, and abstain from forbidden means. He therefore takes away every excuse, when he promises that he will be a faithful guardian to us; for what pretense can be left, if we despise the…
And things of this kind would occur. "For thus hath Jehovah spoken to me, As the lion growls, and the young lion over its prey, against which a whole crowd of shepherds is called together; he is not alarmed at their cry, and does not surrender at their noise; so will Jehovah of hosts descend to the campaign against the mountain of Zion, and against their hill." There is no other passage in the book of Isaiah which sounds so Homeric as this (vid., Il. xviii. 161, 162, xii. 299ff.). It has been misunderstood by Knobel, Umbreit, Drechsler, and others, who suppose על לצבּא to refer to Jehovah's purpose to fight for Jerusalem: Jehovah, who would no more allow His city to be taken from Him, than a…
This prophecy concerned God’s protection of Jerusalem and its rescue from the Assyrians.
Rashi on Isaiah 31:4
As...growls (יֶהְגֶּה) a roaring sound. Comp. (infra 59:11) “And like doves we will moan (הָגֹה נֶהְגֶּה) .”
although a band of shepherds gather against him (יִקָּרֵא, lit., will be called.) They will gather upon him with a stirring shout.
band of shepherds (מְלֹא) a gathering of shepherds. Comp. (Jer. 12:6) “They called after you a band (מָלֵא).” Comp. also (Job 16:10) “Together they gather (יִתְמַלָּאוּן) against me.” All of these are expressions of gathering.
he is not subdued (יַעֲנֶה) he will not humble himself, he will not make himself as a poor man. Comp. (Exodus 10:3) “To humble yourself (לֵעָנוֹת) from before Me.” Comp. also (Hosea 5:5) “And the pride of Israel shall be humbled (…
