Isaiah 33:8

8 Highways are deserted; [the] traveler [on the] road ceases. One breaks a treaty, he rejects [the] cities, he does not hold man in high regard.

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Isaiah 33:8 In-Context

6 and he will be the security of your times, an abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of Yahweh [is] his treasure.

7 Look! Their heroes cry out [in the] street; [the] messengers of peace weep bitterly.

8 Highways are deserted; [the] traveler [on the] road ceases. One breaks a treaty, he rejects [the] cities, he does not hold man in high regard.

9 [The] land mourns; it languishes. Lebanon feels abashed; it withers. Sharon is like the desert, and Bashan and Carmel {are losing their leaves}.

10 "Now I will arise," says Yahweh. "Now I will lift myself up proudly; now I will raise myself.

Footnotes

• [a] A Dead Sea Scroll reads "witnesses"