Isaiah 10:13

13 For he said, I have done in the strength of mine hand, and I have understood in my wisdom; and I have taken away the ends of [the] peoples, and I have robbed the princes of them, and I as a mighty man have drawn down them that sat on high. (For he said, I have done by the strength of my own hand, and I have understood by my own wisdom; and I have done away the borders of the nations, and I have robbed their leaders, and I, a mighty man, have drawn down those who sat on high.)

Isaiah 10:13 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 10:13

For he saith, by the strength of my hand I have done [it],
&c.] Meaning either that by the power of his army, which was under his command, or by his own personal valour, he had subdued kings, taken their kingdoms and chief cities, and ascribes nothing to the power aud providence of God; and if such arrogance and haughtiness, in things of a civil nature, is an instance of vanity, and is resented by the Lord, then much more such conduct in things of a religious nature, when men ascribe regeneration, conversion, and salvation, to the power of their free will, and to the works of their hands, and not to the power and grace of God: and by my wisdom, for I am prudent;
attributing his conquests partly to his power, and partly to his skill and prudence in marshalling his army, making use of stratagems to decoy the enemy, and get an advantage of him; whereas strength and power, and so wisdom and prudence, are from the Lord; as he gives safety, victory, and salvation to kings, so he teaches their hands to war, and their fingers to fight; which they ought to acknowledge, and will, unless vain and proud: and I have removed the bounds of the people;
by subduing kingdoms, and adding them to his own, so that they were no more distinct governments; and by transplanting the inhabitants of them to other places, and making new colonies and settlements; and so the Targum,

``and I have removed the people from province to province:''

taking that to himself which belongs to God, who has determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of men's habitations: and have robbed their treasures:
laid up in palaces, temples, sepulchres, and private houses, for time to come, which are usually plundered when cities and towns are taken; the Targum renders it,

``their laudable cities:''

and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant [man];
from their greatness, from their seats of honour and dignity; or I have put down many inhabitants, as Jarchi, and reduced great numbers to a low and mean estate. The Targum is,

``I have brought down with strength they that dwell in fortified places;''

and so Aben Ezra and Kimchi explain it, they that dwell in a strong place or palace.

Isaiah 10:13 In-Context

11 Whether not as I did to Samaria, and to the idols thereof, so I shall do to Jerusalem, and to the simulacra thereof? (Whether not as I did to Samaria, and to their idols, so now I shall also do to Jerusalem, and their idols?)

12 And it shall be, when the Lord hath [ful]filled all his works in the hill of Zion and in Jerusalem, I shall visit on the fruit of the great doing heart of the king of Assur, and on the glory of the highness of his eyes. (And it shall be, when the Lord hath fulfilled all his works on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, I shall punish the king of Assyria for the fruit of the great doing of his heart, and for the glory of the highness of his eyes.)

13 For he said, I have done in the strength of mine hand, and I have understood in my wisdom; and I have taken away the ends of [the] peoples, and I have robbed the princes of them, and I as a mighty man have drawn down them that sat on high. (For he said, I have done by the strength of my own hand, and I have understood by my own wisdom; and I have done away the borders of the nations, and I have robbed their leaders, and I, a mighty man, have drawn down those who sat on high.)

14 And mine hand found the strength of peoples as a nest, and as eggs be gathered together that be forsaken, so I gathered together all [the] earth; and none there was that moved a feather, and opened the mouth, and grutched. (And my hand found the wealth of the peoples like a nest, and like eggs that be abandoned be gathered together, so I gathered together all the lands; and there was no one who moved a feather, or opened his mouth, or grumbled.)

15 Whether an ax shall have glory against him that cutteth with it? either a saw shall be enhanced against him of whom it is drawn? as if a rod is raised against him that raiseth it, and a staff is enhanced, which soothly is a tree. (Shall an ax have more glory than him who cutteth with it? or shall a saw be exalted, or be lifted up, over him by whom it is drawn? like if a rod is raised up against him who raiseth it up, or a staff is exalted, which truly is just a piece of wood.)