Isaiah 31:4

4 For thus the LORD said to me, ¹"As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey, and when a band of shepherds is called out against him he is not terrified by their shouting or daunted at their noise, ²so the LORD of hosts will come down to fight^[a] on Mount Zion and on its hill.

Isaiah 31:4 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 31:4

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" ^F18; 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 called forth against him;
or, "a fulness of shepherds" ^F19; the whole posse of them, all that are in the towns and villages, or fields adjacent: who, when a lion has got a lamb or sheep out of the flock, are alarmed and called together, to deliver it, if possible, out of his hands; one not daring to venture, or being not sufficient to disturb him, or drive him away: or, "when a multitude of shepherds meet him" ^F20; with the prey in his jaws; or rather "call to him", make a noise, in hopes to frighten him, and cause him to drop his prey, that being all they can do, not daring to go near him; which sense is confirmed by what follows: [he] will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the
noise of them;
he will not leave and lose his prey, or flee from it or them, for the yell and confused noise they make; nor move at all the faster for them, not being in the least intimidated by them: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for Mount Zion, and
for the hill thereof;
that is, he shall come down from heaven by his angel, or in the display of his mighty power, and fight against the Assyrian army, in favour of his people, the inhabitants of Zion or Jerusalem, and deliver them; and there will be no more withstanding him, or putting him off from his purpose, or preventing his good designs and resolutions, than the shepherds are able to divert a lion from his prey. The simile is expressive of the power of God, and of his certain accomplishment of his purposes and promises.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (wprj le hghy) "ab" (hgh) , "mussitare."
F19 (Myewr alm) "plenitudo pastorum", Montanus, De Dieu, Cocceius. A collection of them, as Ben Melech.
F20 (wyle arqy rva) "quando in occursum illius venit", Munster.

Isaiah 31:4 In-Context

2 And yet he is wise and brings disaster; he does not call back his words, but will arise against the house of the evildoers and against the helpers of those who work iniquity.

3 The Egyptians are man, and not God, and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, the helper will stumble, and he who is helped will fall, and they will all perish together.

4 For thus the LORD said to me, "As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey, and when a band of shepherds is called out against him he is not terrified by their shouting or daunted at their noise, so the LORD of hosts will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill.

5 Like birds hovering, so the LORD of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it; he will spare and rescue it."

6 Turn to him from whom people have deeply revolted, O children of Israel.

Cross References

• 1. Hosea 11:10; Amos 1:2; Amos 3:8
• 2. [Isaiah 42:13]

Footnotes

• [a]. The Hebrew words for hosts and to fight sound alike