Isaiah 33:8

8 The highways shall be broken down; the travellers shall cease; he has broken the covenant; he has despised the cities; he does not regard man.

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Isaiah 33:8 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 33:8

The highways lie waste
No man walking in them, for fear of the enemy; "the ways of Zion", which are said to "mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts", ( Lamentations 1:4 ) none daring to attend the ministry of the word and ordinances; see ( Isaiah 35:8 ) : the wayfaring man ceaseth;
or, "the traveller rests" F26; or stops; he does not proceed on his journey; a stop is put to a religious course and conversation; there is an entire cessation of religious worship; a sabbath is kept, but not a religious one; he that would walk in Zion's ways is forbid, and is obliged to sit still: he hath broken the covenant;
some, as Kimchi's father, interpret this of the Jews' complaining that God had broken his covenant with them, as in ( Psalms 89:39 ) but most of Sennacherib's breaking his covenant with Hezekiah, ( 2 Kings 18:14-17 ) rather this is to be understood of antichrist, whose doctrine is, that faith is not to be kept with heretics, and which will abundantly appear at this distressing time: he hath despised the cities;
as Sennacherib did the fenced cities of Judah; he despised their fortifications, and easily took them, and treated the inhabitants with disdain and contempt; and so will the reformed Protestant cities and countries be invaded, seized upon, and insulted, by the Romish antichrist: he regardeth no man;
so as to keep covenant with them, have compassion on them, and spare them, he fearing neither God nor man.


FOOTNOTES:

F26 (xra rbe tbv) "cessaverat viator", Junius & Tremellius; "desiit viator", Cocceius.

Isaiah 33:8 In-Context

6 And in thy times wisdom and knowledge, and the strength of salvation shall reign: the fear of the LORD shall be his treasure.
7 Behold, their ambassadors shall cry without: the messengers of peace shall weep bitterly.
8 The highways shall be broken down; the travellers shall cease; he has broken the covenant; he has despised the cities; he does not regard man.
9 The earth mourns and languishes: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel were shaken.
10 Now I will rise up, saith the LORD; now I will be exalted; now I will be lifted up.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010