Chapter 31

     Chapters 31 and 32 close out Isaiah's rebuke on natural
Israel.  Thus, the themes here are largely similar to those
previously commented upon for chapters 28 to 30.  See the opening
remarks on chapter 28.

     Personally, I would not have bothered to divide chapters 31
and 32, but would have left them together.  I would guess that the
reason the division came about was because of the Messianic
implications of the verse that forms 32:1.  I would broadly group
the verses of these two chapters as 31:1-3, 31:4-32:8 and 32:9-20. 
In fact, one could easily argue that 31:1-3 really should be
appended to the previous chapter given its blatantly anti-Egyptian
theme.

     Again, the historical setting of ch. 30 and 31:1-3 is the
imminent invasion of Jerusalem by Assyria under Sennacherib and
Hezekiah's desire to ally with Egypt for protection from them.

v1-3  Continuing with the anti-coalition with Egypt theme from the
previous chapter, Isaiah again rails on those who would use arm of
flesh techniques to defend themselves from their enemies.  In v. 1
Isaiah laughs at the pro-coalition group because they are confidant
in Egypt's many chariots (it should be noted that during Isaiah's
time the chariot was equivalent to the modern tank with regard to
military might).  The reason he does this is because the Lord has
already shown that His might is such that it can overthrow all of
Egypt's chariots as occurred in Exodus 14.  Verse 2 then goes on to
mock the "wisdom" of the leaders at Jerusalem for their political
dealings by stating that The Lord too is wise.  By allying
themselves with evildoers (v. 2e, cp. 30:1) they become evildoers
as well and when the Lord strikes "the workers of iniquity" it will
be both Egypt and those among Jerusalem that rely on her.  Verse 3
then goes on to contrast the mortal Egyptians with the Eternal Lord
(v. 3a-b).  And when the Lord stretches out His arm to strike the
Egyptians (v. 3c) then those who lean on the one that falls will
fall as well (v. 3d-f).  The Lord's wisdom is show forth as He
indirectly trips wicked Israel by tripping Egypt.

v3a-b  The JPS renders the two lines as follows:

     For the Egyptians are man, not God,
     And their horses are flesh, not spirit;

This leads one to draw a synthetical parallel of man=flesh and
God=spirit.  But this parallelism above is an artificial one
created by the position rather than the meaning of the text.  A
better arrangement is as follows:

     For the Egyptians are man, 
       not God,
     And their horses are flesh, 
       not spirit;

Isaiah's intent here is to use antithetical parallel to contrast
the Egyptians with the Lord and the horses of the Egyptians with
the horses of the Hosts of Israel (i.e. the Hosts of Heaven
dedicated to the protection of Israel; cf. 2 Ki. 6:17 and Josh.
5:13-15).  The overall purpose is to show that the leaders are
relying on the arm of flesh and not the arm of the Lord.

v4-ch32v8  Presents a typical destruction/redemption theme.  With
the annihilation of the wicked comes the establishment of the
Millennium of peace.  However, unlike some of the other appearances
of this theme, here Isaiah uses some interesting images.

v4  Here the Lord is presented as a lion that will not fear the
shepherds that gather against it.  This may seem like an unusual
set of images, but given the context of the religious and political
leaders of Israel rebelling against Him and being elsewhere called
"shepherds" the analogy is recognized (cf. 56:11, Ezek. 34:1-10,
Hos. 5:14-15; contrast these with 5:29 and Micah 5:8-9 where the
symbol of a lion is applied to Israel and not the Lord).  The end
of the verse tells us the Lord descends to make war on Mount Zion. 
Normally we would think the Lord would be protecting Zion, but in
this case when His enemies are internal to Zion He will attack
rather than defend (cp. 33:14).

v5  Again the Passover theme is invoked (cp. 26:20, 30:2-3, Exod.
12:22-23).  The bird hovering over the nest is a common OT theme
(cp. Deut. 32:10-12, Ps. 57:2, Ps. 61:5, Ps. 63:6, Ps. 91).  The
proximity of this verse to the preceding one again implies that the
wicked shepherds from the preceding verse will share Egypt's fate
as was seen in 31:2-3.  Also, note that Exod. 12:11 implies that
the Passover offering is a protection offering to the Lord.

v6-7  Isaiah pleads with Israel to return to the Lord whom they
have wronged.  He then presents a distilled and simplified image of
idolatry as the cause of Israel's woes.  Isaiah's presentation of
"idols of silver and idols of gold, which your hands have made"
reveals the source of Israel's problems, namely greed and
selfishness.

v8-9  Assyria is come to destroy the wicked, and once its job is
completed it will be quickly be dispatched by the Lord (cp. 10:24-
25).  Thus, we see the Lord protecting His people from the wicked
shepherds from within and the wicked invaders from without.  That
Assyria shall be devoured by "a sword not of humans" implies divine
and supernatural intervention by the Lord without the aid of men.

v9a "rock" some commentators see this as possibly referring to an
Assyrian military leader.  It more likely is a reference to one of
their idolatrous gods as it is placed in opposition to the v. 9c
reference to the Lord (cp. 17:10 and Deut. 32:37-39).  Thus, the
rock of Assyria will melt in the presence of the Rock of Israel.

v9d "oven", probably referring to the fiery Topheth of 30:33.