Teks -- Isaiah 13:2 (NET)

13:2 On a bare hill raise a signal flag, shout to them, wave your hand, so they might enter the gates of the princes!

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Isa 13:2 - A banner

To gather soldiers together.

Wesley: Isa 13:2 - Mountain

Whence it may be discerned at a considerable distance. Withal he seems to intimate, that their enemies should come from the mountainous country of Media.

Wesley: Isa 13:2 - Them

To the Medes.

Wesley: Isa 13:2 - Shake

Beckon to them with your hand, that they may come to this service, that they may go and fight against Babylon, and take it, and so enter in to the palaces of the king, and his princes.

JFB: Isa 13:2 - Lift . . . banner

(Isa 5:26; Isa 11:10).

JFB: Isa 13:2 - the high mountain

Rather, "a bare (literally, "bald," that is, without trees) mountain"; from it the banner could be seen afar off, so as to rally together the peoples against Babylon.

JFB: Isa 13:2 - unto them

Unto the Medes (Isa 13:17), the assailants of Babylon. It is remarkable that Isaiah does not foretell here the Jews' captivity in Babylon, but presupposes that event, and throws himself beyond, predicting another event still more future, the overthrow of the city of Israel's oppressors. It was now one hundred seventy-four years before the event.

JFB: Isa 13:2 - shake . . . hand

Beckon with the hand--wave the hand to direct the nations to march against Babylon.

JFB: Isa 13:2 - nobles

Babylonian. Rather, in a bad sense, tyrants; as in Isa 14:5, "rulers" in parallelism to "the wicked"; and Job 21:28 [MAURER].

Clarke: Isa 13:2 - Exalt the voice

Exalt the voice - The word להם lahem , "to them,"which is of no use, and rather weakens the sentence, is omitted by an ancient MS., and the Vulgate.

Calvin: Isa 13:2 - Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain // Shake the hand, that they may enter within the gates of the nobles

2.Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain The word mountain contains a metaphor; for the discourse relates to Babylon, which, we know, was situated on a plain; but with a view to its extensive dominion, he has assigned to it an elevated situation, like a fortress set on high above all nations. But perhaps it will be thought better to take the word mountain as used indefinitely; as if he had said, “When a signal is given there will be a vast assemblage from very distant countries, because all men will be attracted towards it by the wide and extensive influence of the sight;” and, indeed, I consider this opinion to be more probable, but I chose to mention at first the opinion which had been commonly received. Yet it might be thought absurd that the Prophet here enjoins the creatures to yield, as it were, obedience to him, if God had not fortified the Prophet by his instructions and authority. A private man here commands the Medes and Persians, assembles armies, orders a banner to be lifted up, and sounds the trumpet for battle.

This should therefore lead us to consider the majesty of God, in whose name he spoke, and likewise the power and efficacy which is always joined with the word. Such modes of expression are frequently found in the Prophets, that, by placing the events as it were before our eyes, he may enable us to see that God threatens nothing by his servants which he is not ready immediately to execute. Isaiah might indeed have threatened in plain and direct terms, “The Persians and Medes will come, and will burst through the gates of Babylon, notwithstanding the prodigious strength of its fortifications.” But those exclamations are far more energetic, when he not only assumes the character of a herald and proclaims war, but, as if he exercised the highest authority, orders the Medes and Persians to assemble like hired soldiers. Not only does he show that they will be ready at the bidding of God, because they are moved by his secret influence; but, having been sent by God to announce the ruin of Babylon, he claims for his own voice the accomplishment of what appeared to be beyond belief. It amounts to this, “When God hath spoken about what shall happen, we ought to entertain no doubt concerning it.” It deserves our notice also, that he describes the Persians and Medes, without mentioning their names; for that threatening is more emphatic, when he points them out, as it were, with the finger, as when we say, “This and that man.” This contributes to the certainty of the prophecy, when he points out such distant events as if they were at hand.

Shake the hand, that they may enter within the gates of the nobles When he says, Shake the hand, and they shall enter, he means that the Persians and Medes shall no sooner begin to advance at the command of God than their road shall be plain and easy in spite of every obstruction. Though the Hebrews call Princes נדיבים , ( Nedibim,) that is, generous and bountiful, on which is also founded that saying of Christ, εὐεργέται καλοῦνται, they are called benefactors, (Luk 22:25,) yet I think that the Prophet draws our attention to the splendor of power in which the Babylonians gloried. They were furnished above others with forces and warlike armaments, so that it appeared to be incredible that they could ever be vanquished. But the Prophet threatens that nothing shall hinder God from opening up a way and entrance to the enemies.

TSK: Isa 13:2 - Lift ye up // upon the high // shake // go into

Lift ye up : Isa 5:26, Isa 11:12, Isa 18:3; Jer 50:2, Jer 51:27, Jer 51:28

upon the high : Jer 51:25

shake : Isa 10:32, Isa 11:15

go into : Isa 45:1-3; Jer 51:58

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Isa 13:2 - Lift ye up a banner // Upon the high mountain // Unto them // Shake the hand // That they may go into the gates of the nobles

Lift ye up a banner to gather soldiers together for this expedition.

Upon the high mountain whence it may be discerned at a considerable distance. Withal he seems to intimate that their enemies should come from the mountainous country of Media.

Unto them to the Medes, who are named below, Isa 13:17 .

Shake the hand beckon to them with your hand, that they may come to this service.

That they may go into the gates of the nobles that they may go and fight against Babylon, and take it, and so enter into the palaces of the king, and of his princes, and spoil them at their pleasure; which the Medes and Persians did. The manner of expression implies how easily and expeditiously they did their work, that, like Caesar, they might say they only came, and saw, and overcame.

Haydock: Isa 13:2 - Mountain

Mountain of Media, whence Darius came. It was usual to erect a signal, (chap. xxx. 17., and Jeremias vi. 1.) to call troops together. (Calmet)

Gill: Isa 13:2 - Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain // Exalt the voice unto them // shake the hand // that they may go into the gates of the nobles

Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain,.... Or "upon the mountain Nishphah"; some high mountain in Media or Persia, proper to set a standard on, or erect a banner for the gathering men together, to enlist themselves as soldiers, and so form an army to march into the land of Chaldea. Vitringa thinks there may be an allusion to the mountain Zagrius, which divides Media and Persia from Assyria, mentioned by Strabo ^x. Or "upon a high mountain"; any high mountain fit for such a purpose; or "against the high mountain", as some ^y read it; meaning Babylon, called a mountain, Jer 51:25 not because of its situation, for it was in a plain; but because of its eminence above other cities and states. The Targum is,

"against the city that dwells securely, lift up a sign;''

a token of war, proclaim war against it, that lives at ease, and is in peace; and so the word is used in the Talmudic language, as Kimchi observes; and to this agrees Jarchi's note,

"to gather against the mountain that is quiet, and trusts in its tranquillity, lift up a banner to the nations.''

Exalt the voice unto them; the Medes, mentioned by name in Isa 13:17 such as were within call, or were gathered together by the lifting up of the banner; such were to be urged with great vehemency to enlist themselves, and engage in a war against Babylon:

shake the hand; beckon with it to them that are afar off, that cannot hear the voice:

that they may go into the gates of the nobles; that dwell in the city of Babylon, where they might expect to find rich plunder; though some understand this of the nobles or princes of the Medes and Persians, as Kimchi observes, that should enter through the gates of Babylon into the city; and by others it is interpreted of the soldiers coming to the doors of the leaders or generals of the army, to give in their names, and enlist themselves in their service; which well agrees with what goes before.