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Isaiah 31:4

4 quia haec dicit Dominus ad me quomodo si rugiat leo et catulus leonis super praedam suam cum occurrerit ei multitudo pastorum a voce eorum non formidabit et a multitudine eorum non pavebit sic descendet Dominus exercituum ut proelietur super montem Sion et super collem eius

Isaiah 31:4 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 31:4

For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me
The prophet Isaiah, who had heard and received what follows from the Lord, and therefore it might be depended upon; and they are words of grace and mercy, promising preservation and deliverance; and therefore it was a foolish thing to send to Egypt for help: Like as the lion, and the young lion roaring on his prey;
or "muttering", or "growling over his prey" F18; for the lion roars when he is hungry, and wants a prey, and not when he has got one; but when he has one, and is tearing it in pieces, and feeding upon it, he makes a lower noise, a growling one, especially when he apprehends anyone near to disturb him: when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him;
or, "a fulness of shepherds" F19; the whole posse of them, all that are in the towns and villages, or fields adjacent: who, when a lion has got a lamb or sheep out of the flock, are alarmed and called together, to deliver it, if possible, out of his hands; one not daring to venture, or being not sufficient to disturb him, or drive him away: or, "when a multitude of shepherds meet him" F20; with the prey in his jaws; or rather "call to him", make a noise, in hopes to frighten him, and cause him to drop his prey, that being all they can do, not daring to go near him; which sense is confirmed by what follows: [he] will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the
noise of them;
he will not leave and lose his prey, or flee from it or them, for the yell and confused noise they make; nor move at all the faster for them, not being in the least intimidated by them: so shall the Lord of hosts come down to fight for Mount Zion, and
for the hill thereof;
that is, he shall come down from heaven by his angel, or in the display of his mighty power, and fight against the Assyrian army, in favour of his people, the inhabitants of Zion or Jerusalem, and deliver them; and there will be no more withstanding him, or putting him off from his purpose, or preventing his good designs and resolutions, than the shepherds are able to divert a lion from his prey. The simile is expressive of the power of God, and of his certain accomplishment of his purposes and promises.


FOOTNOTES:

F18 (wprj le hghy) "ab" (hgh) , "mussitare."
F19 (Myewr alm) "plenitudo pastorum", Montanus, De Dieu, Cocceius. A collection of them, as Ben Melech.
F20 (wyle arqy rva) "quando in occursum illius venit", Munster.

Isaiah 31:4 In-Context

2 ipse autem sapiens adduxit malum et verba sua non abstulit et consurget contra domum pessimorum et contra auxilium operantium iniquitatem
3 Aegyptus homo et non deus et equi eorum caro et non spiritus et Dominus inclinabit manum suam et corruet auxiliator et cadet cui praestatur auxilium simulque omnes consumentur
4 quia haec dicit Dominus ad me quomodo si rugiat leo et catulus leonis super praedam suam cum occurrerit ei multitudo pastorum a voce eorum non formidabit et a multitudine eorum non pavebit sic descendet Dominus exercituum ut proelietur super montem Sion et super collem eius
5 sicut aves volantes sic proteget Dominus exercituum Hierusalem protegens et liberans transiens et salvans
6 convertimini sicut in profundum recesseratis filii Israhel
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.