And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from
far,
&c.] Not to the Chaldeans or Babylonians, for they were not
nations, but one nation, and were a people near; but to the
Romans, who consisted of many nations, and were afar off, and
extended their empire to the ends of the earth; these, by one
providence or another, were stirred up to make an expedition into
the land of Judea, and besiege Jerusalem: and this lifting up of
an ensign is not, as sometimes, for the gathering and enlisting
of soldiers, or to prepare them for the battle, or to give them
the signal when to begin the fight; but as a direction to decamp
and proceed on a journey, on some expedition: and will hiss
unto them from the end of the earth,
or "to him" F9; the king, or general of them,
wherever he is, even though at the end of the earth: and the
phrase denotes the secret and powerful influence of divine
Providence, in moving upon the hearts of the Romans, and their
general, to enter upon such a design against the Jews; and which
was as easily done as for one man to hiss or call to another; or
as for a shepherd to whistle for his sheep; to which the allusion
seems to be; the Lord having the hearts of all in his hands, and
can turn them as he pleases, to do his will: and, behold,
they shall come with speed swiftly;
or "he shall come"; the king with his army; and so the Targum
paraphrases it;
``and behold, a king with his army shall come swiftly, as light clouds;''this shows the swift and sudden destruction that should come upon the Jews; and is an answer to their scoffs, ( Isaiah 5:19 ) .