Isaiah 28:21

21 For as in the hill of partings the Lord shall stand, as in the valley, which is in Gibeon, he shall be wroth, that he do his work; his work alien, that he work his work; his work is strange from him. (For the Lord shall stand, as he did at Mount Perazim, and he shall be angry, as he was in the Valley of Gibeon; so that he do his work, his strange work; yea, that he work his work, his strange work.)

Isaiah 28:21 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 28:21

For the Lord shall rise up as [in] Mount Perazim
Where the Lord broke forth on David's enemies the Philistines, as the breach of waters; see ( Isaiah 28:17 ) and destroyed them, from whence the place had the name of Baalperazim, ( 2 Samuel 5:20 ) . The Targum is,

``for as the mountain which moved when the glory of the Lord was revealed in the days of Uzziah the king;''
referring to the earthquake in his time, ( Amos 1:1 ) ( Zechariah 14:5 ) : he shall be wroth as [in] the valley of Gibeon;
Josephus Ben Gorion
FOOTNOTES:

F2 makes mention of the valley of Gibeon, where a battle was fought between Cestius the Roman general and the Jews, in which the latter got the victory, and says it was about six miles from Jerusalem: here the Philistines were smitten, returning again after they had been vanquished before, ( 1 Chronicles 14:16 ) though it is more generally thought that this refers to the discomfiture of the Canaanites in the times of Joshua, when also hailstones fell upon them, and destroyed many; see ( Isaiah 28:17 ) and when the sun and moon stood still till Israel were avenged on their enemies, and which showed the power and presence of God with them, ( Joshua 10:10-13 ) and so the Targum, which adds,
``and in the miracles which he (the Lord) did for Joshua, in the valley of Gibeon;''
and these instances are mentioned as proofs of the divine power and vengeance, and to assure the Jews that the Lord would rise up in the same wrath and indignation against them, and consume them: that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his
act, his strange act;
which may be called so, because in the above mentioned instances he fought for his people Israel, but in this he would fight against them; and because this was a work and act of strict justice and awful severity, and not so agreeable to him as acts of mercy, grace, and goodness, in which he delights; or rather, because it was an unusual one, marvellous and surprising, and would be so to the Jews themselves, and even to their enemies, and to all the world, as the destruction of Jerusalem was, especially as by the Romans; see ( Habakkuk 1:5 Habakkuk 1:6 ) . Vitringa, besides this, adds the calling of the Gentiles, the seizing of the inheritance of the world, and the destruction of the kingdom of Satan in the Roman empire. The Targum interprets this in a very contrary sense, of such as do strange works, idolatry, for which they are consumed.
F2 L. 6. c. 5. p. 559. Vid. Joseph. de Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 19. sect. 1.

Isaiah 28:21 In-Context

19 Whenever it shall pass, it shall take away you (And when it shall pass by you, it shall take you away); for why early in the gray morrowtide it shall pass (by), (and) in day and night; and only travail alone shall give understanding to [the] hearing.
20 Forsooth the bed is strait, so that the tother fall down; and a short mantle shall not cover ever either. (For the bed is too short, so that no one can stretch out on it; and the blanket is too small, so that no one can be covered by it.)
21 For as in the hill of partings the Lord shall stand, as in the valley, which is in Gibeon, he shall be wroth, that he do his work; his work alien, that he work his work; his work is strange from him. (For the Lord shall stand, as he did at Mount Perazim, and he shall be angry, as he was in the Valley of Gibeon; so that he do his work, his strange work; yea, that he work his work, his strange work.)
22 And now do not ye scorn, lest peradventure your bonds be made strait together; for I heard of the Lord God of hosts, ending and abridging on all (the) earth. (And now do not ye mock, lest peradventure your bonds be made altogether strait, or tight; for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts, of the ending and the shortening, or destruction, of all the earth.)
23 Perceive ye with ears, and hear ye my voice; perceive ye, and hear ye my speech. (Listen, and hear ye my voice; pay attention, yea, listen to me!)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.