Глава 31

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help.” The Prophet again reproaches the Jews, who gave themselves up to flight and retired to Egypt, hoping to find refuge there during cramped and troubled circumstances. “And he will not trust in the Holy One of Israel... And he will rise up against the houses of evil men,” that is, the Egyptians (Is. 31:1-2). “The Lord will turn away His hand” (Is. 31:3), that is, he will not save both. Both the Egyptians who give help and the Jews who seek help will be struck. “Before this the Lord spoke to me: when a lion or a lioness roars for the hunt... so the Lord of hosts will come down on Mount Zion and make war on her mountains” (Is. 31:4). The prophet addresses the word to the tribe of Judah, and precisely to those Jews who, trusting in God - their strength, remained in their land, while their brothers fled and were scattered everywhere. “Turn yourselves... ye children of Israel” (Isa. 31:6), who have hitherto been stubborn in obstinacy. "And Assur shall fall". Because of you, the Assyrians suffered such a severe punishment. “And Assur will fall not by the sword of man, - that is, not by human strength, but by the hand of an Angel, - and the prince and him will be crushed at the sight of the miracle” (Is. 31:8). The people and their princes will be crushed, seeing the king of Assyria take flight. He will run and hide in the stronghold of his dwelling. He will run to hide in his city of Nineveh, like animals fleeing from hunters. “Saith the Lord, whose light is in Zion and the cave in Jerusalem” (Is. 31:9), that is, the light of salvation in Zion and the cave of vengeance in Jerusalem. You might be interested in: