Isaiah 28:21

21 The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon— to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task.

Isaiah 28:21 in Other Translations

KJV
21 For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
ESV
21 For the LORD will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed--strange is his deed! and to work his work--alien is his work!
NLT
21 The LORD will come as he did against the Philistines at Mount Perazim and against the Amorites at Gibeon. He will come to do a strange thing; he will come to do an unusual deed:
MSG
21 God will rise to full stature, raging as he did long ago on Mount Perazim And in the valley of Gibeon against the Philistines. But this time it's against you. Hard to believe, but true. Not what you'd expect, but it's coming.
CSB
21 For the Lord will rise up as [He did] at Mount Perazim. He will rise in wrath, as at the valley of Gibeon, to do His work, His strange work, and to perform His task, His disturbing task.

Isaiah 28:21 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 28:21

For the Lord shall rise up as [in] Mount Perazim
Where the Lord broke forth on David's enemies the Philistines, as the breach of waters; see ( Isaiah 28:17 ) and destroyed them, from whence the place had the name of Baalperazim, ( 2 Samuel 5:20 ) . The Targum is,

``for as the mountain which moved when the glory of the Lord was revealed in the days of Uzziah the king;''
referring to the earthquake in his time, ( Amos 1:1 ) ( Zechariah 14:5 ) : he shall be wroth as [in] the valley of Gibeon;
Josephus Ben Gorion
FOOTNOTES:

F2 makes mention of the valley of Gibeon, where a battle was fought between Cestius the Roman general and the Jews, in which the latter got the victory, and says it was about six miles from Jerusalem: here the Philistines were smitten, returning again after they had been vanquished before, ( 1 Chronicles 14:16 ) though it is more generally thought that this refers to the discomfiture of the Canaanites in the times of Joshua, when also hailstones fell upon them, and destroyed many; see ( Isaiah 28:17 ) and when the sun and moon stood still till Israel were avenged on their enemies, and which showed the power and presence of God with them, ( Joshua 10:10-13 ) and so the Targum, which adds,
``and in the miracles which he (the Lord) did for Joshua, in the valley of Gibeon;''
and these instances are mentioned as proofs of the divine power and vengeance, and to assure the Jews that the Lord would rise up in the same wrath and indignation against them, and consume them: that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his
act, his strange act;
which may be called so, because in the above mentioned instances he fought for his people Israel, but in this he would fight against them; and because this was a work and act of strict justice and awful severity, and not so agreeable to him as acts of mercy, grace, and goodness, in which he delights; or rather, because it was an unusual one, marvellous and surprising, and would be so to the Jews themselves, and even to their enemies, and to all the world, as the destruction of Jerusalem was, especially as by the Romans; see ( Habakkuk 1:5 Habakkuk 1:6 ) . Vitringa, besides this, adds the calling of the Gentiles, the seizing of the inheritance of the world, and the destruction of the kingdom of Satan in the Roman empire. The Targum interprets this in a very contrary sense, of such as do strange works, idolatry, for which they are consumed.
F2 L. 6. c. 5. p. 559. Vid. Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 19. sect. 1.

Isaiah 28:21 In-Context

19 As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through.” The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.
20 The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.
21 The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon— to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task.
22 Now stop your mocking, or your chains will become heavier; the Lord, the LORD Almighty, has told me of the destruction decreed against the whole land.
23 Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say.

Cross References 3

  • 1. S Genesis 38:29; S 1 Chronicles 14:11
  • 2. S Joshua 9:3; Joshua 10:10,12; 1 Chronicles 14:16
  • 3. Isaiah 10:12; Isaiah 65:7; Luke 19:41-44
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