19Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.
20In that day, men shall cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which have been made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,
21to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.
19 Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.
20 In that day, men shall cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which have been made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats,
21 to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily.
KJVKing James Version
19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Show all 3 translations
JPSJPS Tanakh (1917)
19 And men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake mightily the earth.
20 In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the crevices of the crags, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the glory of His majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth.
Isaiah 2:19(v21)Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his…
Isaiah 2:10(vv19, 21)Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty.
Luke 23:30(v19)Then they will begin to tell the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and tell the hills, ‘Cover us.’
Isaiah 2:21(v19)to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his…
Isaiah 30:22(v20)You shall defile the overlaying of your engraved images of silver, and the plating of your molten images of gold. You shall cast them away…
Show all 39 cross-references
Hosea 10:8(v19)The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed. The thorn and the thistle will come up on their altars. They will tell…
Isaiah 31:7(v20)For in that day everyone shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold—sin which your own hands have made for you.
Exodus 33:22(v21)It will happen, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand until I have passed…
Job 30:6(v21)So that they dwell in frightful valleys, and in holes of the earth and of the rocks.
Song of Solomon 2:14(v21)My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the mountainside, let me see your face. let me hear your voice; for your voice…
Haggai 2:6(v19)For this is what Yahweh of Armies says: ‘Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land;
Hebrews 12:26(v19)whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.”
Revelation 6:12-15(v19)I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon…
Revelation 11:19(v19)God’s temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an…
Leviticus 11:19(v20)the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.
1 Samuel 13:6(v19)When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in…
1 Samuel 14:11(v19)Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, “Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the…
Psalms 7:6(v19)Arise, Yahweh, in your anger. Lift up yourself against the rage of my adversaries. Awake for me. You have commanded judgment.
Psalms 18:6-15(v19)In my distress I called on Yahweh, and cried to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry before him came into his ears. Then the…
Psalms 76:7-9(v19)You, even you, are to be feared. Who can stand in your sight when you are angry? You pronounced judgment from heaven. The earth feared, and…
Psalms 114:5-7(v19)What was it, you sea, that you fled? You Jordan, that you turned back? You mountains, that you skipped like rams; you little hills, like…
Isaiah 30:32(v19)Every stroke of the rod of punishment, which Yahweh will lay on him, will be with the sound of tambourines and harps. He will fight with…
Isaiah 46:1(v20)Bel bows down. Nebo stoops. Their idols are carried by animals, and on the livestock. The things that you carried around are heavy loads, a…
Isaiah 46:6(v20)Some pour out gold from the bag, and weigh silver in the balance. They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god. They fall down— yes, they…
Jeremiah 16:16(v19)“Behold, I will send for many fishermen,” says Yahweh, “and they will fish them up. Afterward I will send for many hunters, and they will…
Hosea 14:8(v20)Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols? I answer, and will take care of him. I am like a green cypress tree; from me your fruit is…
Micah 1:3-4(v19)For, behold, Yahweh comes out of his place, and will come down and tread on the high places of the earth. The mountains melt under him, and…
Micah 7:17(v19)They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their dens. They will come with…
Nahum 1:3-6(v19)Yahweh is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. Yahweh has his way in the whirlwind and in…
Habakkuk 3:3-14(v19)God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens, and his praise filled the earth. His splendor is like…
Haggai 2:21-22(v19)“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, ‘I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will…
Philippians 3:7-8(v20)However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ. Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the…
2 Thessalonians 1:9(v19)who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
Hebrews 11:38(v19)of whom the world was not worthy—wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.
2 Peter 3:10-13(v19)But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be…
Revelation 9:6(v19)In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them.
Revelation 11:13(v19)In that day there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest…
Revelation 16:18(v19)There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as has not happened since there were men on the earth,…
Revelation 20:11(v19)I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them.
39 distinct cross-references across this passage (40 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (17 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Geneva Bible translators1599 · Public DomainOn vv19–20Hos. 10:8; Luke 23:30; Rev. 6:16; Rev. 9:6
Hos. 10:8; Luke 23:30; Rev. 6:16; Rev. 9:6
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp1656 · Public DomainOn vv19–21Isa 2:19 And they shall go into the holes…
Isa 2:19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Ver. 19. And they shall go into the holes.] See Isa 2:10.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole1685 · Public DomainOn vv19–20They, the idolatrous Israelites,
They, the idolatrous Israelites,
shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth; their usual places of retreat in cases of danger; of which see Jos 10:16; Jdg 6:2; 1Sa 13:6.
Read full note →
To shake terribly the earth; either properly, or rather figuratively, to send dreadful judgments upon the inhabitants of the land.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill1763 · Public DomainOn vv19–20To go into the clifts of the rocks, and…
To go into the clifts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks,.... That is, the idolaters shall either go there themselves; or they shall cause their idols to go there, thither they shall cast them; though the former sense seems the best, because of what follows,
for fear of the Lord, &c. See Gill on Isa 2:10, Isa 2:19.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley1765 · Public DomainOn vv19–20They - The idolatrous Israelites.
They - The idolatrous Israelites.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke1810 · Public DomainOn vv19–21Verse 19. - 21. Into the holes of the…
Verse 19. - 21. Into the holes of the rocks - "Into caverns of rocks"] The country of Judea being mountainous and rocky, is full of caverns, as appears from the history of David's persecution under Saul. At En-gedi, in particular, there was a cave so large that David with six hundred men hid themselves in the sides of it; and Saul entered the mouth of the cave without perceiving that any one was there, 1Sa 24:3. Josephus, Antiq., lib. xiv., c. 15, and Bell. Jud., lib. 1, c. 16, tells us of a numerous gang of banditti, who, having infested the country, and being pursued by Herod with his army retired into certain caverns almost inaccessible, near Arbela in Galilee, where they were with great difficulty subdued. Some of these were natural, others artificial. "Beyond Damascus," says Strabo, lib. xvi., "are two mountains called Trachones, from which the country has the name of Trachonitis; and from hence towards Arabia and Iturea, are certain rugged mountains, in which there are deep caverns, one of which will hold four thousand men." Tavernier, Voyage de Perse, part ii., chap. iv., speaks of a grot, between Aleppo and Bir, that would hold near three thousand horse. "Three hours distant from Sidon, about a mile from the sea, there runs along a high rocky mountain, in the sides of which are hewn a multitude of grots, all very little differing from each other. They have entrances about two feet square: on the inside you find in most or all of them a room of about four yards square. There are of these subterraneous caverns two hundred in number. It may, with probability at least, be concluded that these places were contrived for the use of the living, and not of the dead. Strabo describes the habitations of the Troglodytae to have been somewhat of this kind." - Maundrell, p. 118. The Horites, who dwelt in Mount Seir, were Troglodytae, as their name הרים horim, imports. But those mentioned by Strabo were on each side of the Arabian gulf. Mohammed (Koran, chap. xv. xxvi.) speaks of a tribe of Arabians, the tribe of Thamud, "who hewed houses out of the mountains, to secure themselves." Thus, "because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves and strong holds," Jdg 6:2. To these they betook themselves for refuge in times of distress and hostile invasion: "When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, for the people were distressed, then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits," 1Sa 13:6, and see Jer 41:9. Therefore "to enter into the rock, to go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth," was to them a very proper and familiar image to express terror and consternation. The prophet Hosea, Ho 10:8, hath carried the same image farther, and added great strength and spirit to it:
"They shall say to the mountains, Cover us;
Read full note →
And to the hills, Fall on us;"
which image, together with these of Isaiah, is adopted by the sublime author of the Revelation, Re 6:15-16, who frequently borrows his imagery from our prophet. - L.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson1811 · Public DomainOn vv19–20Isa 2:19. And they — The idolatrous Israelites; shall…
Isa 2:19. And they — The idolatrous Israelites; shall go into the holes of the rocks, &c. — Their usual places of retreat in cases of danger; see Jos 10:16; Jdg 6:2; 1Sa 13:6. The idea is taken from the nature of the land of Canaan; which was full of caves and dens; for fear of the Lord, and the glory of his majesty, &c. — “The meaning is, that there should be, at this time, a great and most bright display of the divine majesty and justice, which the impious and hypocritical could not bear; and that, struck with the terror of the divine judgment, they should consult for their safety, with the utmost terror and consternation, in caves, dens, and holes of the earth.” “The Prophet Hosea hath carried the same image further, and added great strength and spirit to it, Hos 10:8. They shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us; which image, together with these of Isaiah, is adopted by the sublime author of the Rev 6:15-16.” See Dodd and Bishop Lowth.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes1834 · Public DomainOn vv19–21And they shall go - That is, the worshippers…
And they shall go - That is, the worshippers of idols.
Into the holes of the rocks - Judea was a mountainous country, and the mountains abounded with caves that offered a safe retreat for those who were in danger. Many of those caverns were very spacious. At En-gedi, in particular, a cave is mentioned where David with six hundred men hid himself from Saul in the “sides” of it; 1 Sam. 24. Sometimes caves or dens were artificially constructed for refuge or defense in danger; Jdg 6:2; 1Sa 13:6. Thus, ‘because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.’ Jdg 6:2. To these they fled in times of hostile invasion. ‘When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits;’ 1Sa 13:6; compare Jer 41:9. Mahomet speaks of a tribe of Arabians, the tribe of Thamud, who ‘hewed houses out of the mountains to secure themselves;’ Koran, ch. xv. and xxvi. Grots or rooms hewed out of rocks for various purposes are often mentioned by travelers in Oriental regions: see Maundrell, p. 118, and Burckhardt’s “Travels in Syria,” and particularly Laborde’s “Journey to Arabia Petrea.” Such caves are often mentioned by Josephus as affording places of refuge for banditti and robbers; “Ant.,” B. xiv. ch. 15, and “Jewish Wars,” B. i. ch. 16. To enter into the caves and dens, therefore, as places of refuge, was a very natural image to denote consternation. The meaning here is, that the worshippers of idols should be so alarmed as to seek for a place of security and refuge; compare Isa 2:10.
Read full note →
When he ariseth - This is an expression often used in the Scriptures to denote the commencement of doing anything. It is here derived, perhaps, from the image of one who has been in repose - as of a lion or warrior, rousing up suddenly, and putting forth mighty efforts.
To shake terribly the earth - An image denoting the presence of God, for judgment or punishment. One of the magnificent images which the sacred writers often use to denote the presence of the Lord is, that the earth shakes and trembles; the mountains bow and are convulsed; 2Sa 22:8 : ‘Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved, because he was wroth;’ See also Isa 2:9-16; Jdg 5:4; Hab 3:6-10 : ‘The mountains saw thee and trembled;’ Heb 12:26 : ‘Whose voice then shook the earth.’ The image here denotes that he would come forth in such wrath that the very earth should tremble, as if alarmed his presence. The mind cannot conceive more sublime images than are thus used by the sacred writers.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary1859 · Public DomainOn v20Bats. The Egyptians adored all sorts of animals. (Herodotus…
Bats. The Egyptians adored all sorts of animals. (Herodotus ii. 65.) --- Ægyptus portenta colat. (Juvenal xv.) --- Omnigenumque Deum monstra. (Virgil, Æneid viii.) --- The mole was much esteemed by magicians, who promised any the art of divination and success, who should eat the heart of one still warm. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxx. 3.) The Israelites were always ready to embrace such superstitious practices. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown1871 · Public DomainOn vv19–20The fulfilment answers exactly to the threat (Isa 2:10).
The fulfilment answers exactly to the threat (Isa 2:10).
they--the idol-worshippers.
Read full note →
caves--abounding in Judea, a hilly country; hiding-places in times of alarm (Sa1 13:6).
shake . . . earth--and the heavens also (Heb 12:26). Figure for severe and universal judgments.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon1874 · Public DomainOn vv19–2119. Holes of the rocks — In Isa_2:10 similar…
19. Holes of the rocks — In Isa_2:10 similar language is used as a warning, but here it is a direct prediction. Idols, the whole mass of them, shall pass away into their natural utter nothingness.
When he ariseth — Literally, In his arising; in God’s addressing himself with terribly obvious purpose.
Read full note →
Shake… earth — The intimation seems to be a recent earthquake, and all this prophetic speech may have taken advantage of the event when the worldly indifference of the people was for the time arrested. Amos speaks of the great earthquake in Uzziah’s reign. Amo_1:1. God is the immediate cause of all physical phenomena, and he makes the physical serve the moral. In all his great comings to “shake terribly the earth,” he uses the one phenomenon as the means to engage serious attention, the other, as the end, to wit, to secure moral reformation.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1878 · Public DomainOn vv19–2119. they shall go] i.e., as R.V., men shall…
19. they shall go] i.e., as R.V., men shall go.
holes of the rocks … earth] Better: caves of the rocks and into the holes of the dust (R.V. and marg.; see on Isa_2:10 above).
Read full note →
to shake terribly the earth] R.V. has “to shake mightily,” but the strict rendering is to terrify the earth: a paronomasia in Heb., easily imitated in Latin, “ut terreat terram.” There is an undoubted allusion to an earthquake. Isaiah must have experienced the great earthquake in the reign of Uzziah (Amo_1:1; Zec_14:5); and the deep impression made on his youthful mind furnished him with a presentiment of the terror of the great day of Jehovah.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers1878 · Public DomainOn vv19–21(19) And they shall go into the holes of…
(19) And they shall go into the holes of the rocks.—The imagery of the earthquake in Uzziah’s reign (see Note on Isa_2:10) is still present to Isaiah’s thoughts. (See Rev_6:15.)
When he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.—The Hebrew verb and noun have the emphasis of a paronomasia which cannot be reproduced in English, but of which the Latin “ut terreat terram” gives some idea.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary1880 · Public DomainOn vv19–21They shall go into the holes of the rooks,…
They shall go into the holes of the rooks, etc. (see ver. 10, which is an exhortation to do what this verse declares will be done). On the abundant caves of Palestine, see note on the former passage. To shake terribly the earth; literally, to affright the earth. It is not said in what way he will affright it. The cognate Arabic verb has the meaning "to shake;" but it is not clear that the Hebrew one has ever this sense.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator1887 · Public DomainOn vv19–20And they shall go into the holes of the…
Isa_2:19
And they shall go into the holes of the rocks
Read full note →
No escape from the judgments of God
They shall vainly seek to escape, as unarmed peasants or women fly into the nearest cave or hole when they hear the hoofs of some plundering tribe of Edom or Ishmael from the desert; but the judgment of Jehovah shall reach them, as the earthquake (then, as now, not uncommon in Judaea) would bring down the reck on him who sought refuge in it.
(Sir E. Strachey, Bart.)
For fear of the Lord
The fear of the Lord
1. It is some alleviation of a mans misfortune, if he knows the worst of it. For the apprehension of evil is sometimes worse than the evil itself. But this rule holds good only in temporal evils.
2. In the present state of things, men can harden their hearts against all the threatenings and terrors of the Lord: and have so accustomed themselves to dispute and disbelieve everything which is supernatural, that the concerns of another world make but faint impressions upon them.
3. The great foundation, therefore, on which the substance of our religion is built, is the belief of that day when God shall call men to an account for all the works which they have done in this life, and shall deal with them according to the promises and threatenings of His own word.
4. The way not to be afraid of the wrath of God then, is to stand in awe of it now.
5. He hath declared that He hath an extraordinary indignation at proud men, i.e., such as have no regard for His laws, and that He will one day effectually humble them.
6. When we fear God as a merciful and gracious Father, we live easy in His family, and rejoice in His presence; but a guilty fear causes us to fly from
Him like our first parent, dreading Him as justly provoked to be angry with us, and ready to execute His threatened judgments upon us.
7. The fear of the Lord, says Solomon, is the beginning of wisdom; and I will venture to add, that it is the end of it too: for a man can never be denominated wise without this fear; whenever he lays it aside, he certainly plays the fool.
8. There is no man who, by daily reading and hearing of Gods Word, keeps the rule of his life in his eye, but must see that he has manifold reasons to be humbled for not acting up to it.
9. And as horrible fear, so shall shame and confusion of face be the portion of all those who will not now be restrained by a virtuous modesty from offending against God.
10. Let us, then, wisely make choice of these restraints in due season, and keep up their influence so strong in our minds, that no sinful temptation, even in the closest retirement and most secret corner, may ever be able to prevail against them. (W. Reading, M. A.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0On v20General Information:
General Information:
Isaiah speaks to the people of Judah in the form of a poem. He continues to describe what will happen on the day of Yahweh of Hosts (Isaiah 2:12). (See: Parallelism)
Read full note →
to the moles and bats
Moles are small animals that dig and live underground. Bats are small flying animals that sometimes live in caves. AT: "to the animals" (See: Translate Unknowns)
the crevices in the rocks ... the clefts of the ragged rocks
If your language does not have two different words for "crevice" and "cleft," the space that appears between the two parts of a rock when it splits, you can combine these two phrases into one.
from the terror of Yahweh
because they are very afraid of Yahweh. See how you translated this in Isaiah 2:19.
the glory of his majesty
"the great beauty and power he has as king" or "his royal majesty." See how you translated this in Isaiah 2:10.
when he rises to terrify the earth
"when Yahweh takes action and causes the people of the earth to be terribly afraid of him." See how you translated this in Isaiah 2:19.
whose life-breath is in his nostrils
This describes how man is human and weak by emphasizing that he needs to breath to live. AT: "who is weak and will die" or "who needs the breath in his nose to live" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
nostrils
the holes in the nose through which people breathe
for what does he amount to?
Isaiah uses a question to remind the people of something they should already know. This question can be translated as a statement. AT: "for man amounts to nothing!" or "for man is not worth anything!" (See: Rhetorical Question)
Tyndale Open Study Notes2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0On v202:20-21 Animals such as rodents and bats lead a…
2:20-21 Animals such as rodents and bats lead a shadowy, subterranean existence. Those who worship idols will become like them in attempting to escape the Lord’s judgment.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv19–20 Hos. 10:8; Luke 23:30; Rev. 6:16; Rev. 9:6
Hos. 10:8; Luke 23:30; Rev. 6:16; Rev. 9:6
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv19–21 Isa 2:19 And they shall go into the holes…
Isa 2:19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Ver. 19. And they shall go into the holes.] See Isa 2:10.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv19–20 They, the idolatrous Israelites,
They, the idolatrous Israelites,
shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth; their usual places of retreat in cases of danger; of which see Jos 10:16; Jdg 6:2; 1Sa 13:6.
Read full note →
To shake terribly the earth; either properly, or rather figuratively, to send dreadful judgments upon the inhabitants of the land.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv19–20 To go into the clifts of the rocks, and…
To go into the clifts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks,.... That is, the idolaters shall either go there themselves; or they shall cause their idols to go there, thither they shall cast them; though the former sense seems the best, because of what follows,
for fear of the Lord, &c. See Gill on Isa 2:10, Isa 2:19.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv19–20 They - The idolatrous Israelites.
They - The idolatrous Israelites.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv19–21 Verse 19. - 21. Into the holes of the…
Verse 19. - 21. Into the holes of the rocks - "Into caverns of rocks"] The country of Judea being mountainous and rocky, is full of caverns, as appears from the history of David's persecution under Saul. At En-gedi, in particular, there was a cave so large that David with six hundred men hid themselves in the sides of it; and Saul entered the mouth of the cave without perceiving that any one was there, 1Sa 24:3. Josephus, Antiq., lib. xiv., c. 15, and Bell. Jud., lib. 1, c. 16, tells us of a numerous gang of banditti, who, having infested the country, and being pursued by Herod with his army retired into certain caverns almost inaccessible, near Arbela in Galilee, where they were with great difficulty subdued. Some of these were natural, others artificial. "Beyond Damascus," says Strabo, lib. xvi., "are two mountains called Trachones, from which the country has the name of Trachonitis; and from hence towards Arabia and Iturea, are certain rugged mountains, in which there are deep caverns, one of which will hold four thousand men." Tavernier, Voyage de Perse, part ii., chap. iv., speaks of a grot, between Aleppo and Bir, that would hold near three thousand horse. "Three hours distant from Sidon, about a mile from the sea, there runs along a high rocky mountain, in the sides of which are hewn a multitude of grots, all very little differing from each other. They have entrances about two feet square: on the inside you find in most or all of them a room of about four yards square. There are of these subterraneous caverns two hundred in number. It may, with probability at least, be concluded that these places were contrived for the use of the living, and not of the dead. Strabo describes the habitations of the Troglodytae to have been somewhat of this kind." - Maundrell, p. 118. The Horites, who dwelt in Mount Seir, were Troglodytae, as their name הרים horim, imports. But those mentioned by Strabo were on each side of the Arabian gulf. Mohammed (Koran, chap. xv. xxvi.) speaks of a tribe of Arabians, the tribe of Thamud, "who hewed houses out of the mountains, to secure themselves." Thus, "because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves and strong holds," Jdg 6:2. To these they betook themselves for refuge in times of distress and hostile invasion: "When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, for the people were distressed, then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits," 1Sa 13:6, and see Jer 41:9. Therefore "to enter into the rock, to go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth," was to them a very proper and familiar image to express terror and consternation. The prophet Hosea, Ho 10:8, hath carried the same image farther, and added great strength and spirit to it:
"They shall say to the mountains, Cover us;
Read full note →
And to the hills, Fall on us;"
which image, together with these of Isaiah, is adopted by the sublime author of the Revelation, Re 6:15-16, who frequently borrows his imagery from our prophet. - L.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv19–20 Isa 2:19. And they — The idolatrous Israelites; shall…
Isa 2:19. And they — The idolatrous Israelites; shall go into the holes of the rocks, &c. — Their usual places of retreat in cases of danger; see Jos 10:16; Jdg 6:2; 1Sa 13:6. The idea is taken from the nature of the land of Canaan; which was full of caves and dens; for fear of the Lord, and the glory of his majesty, &c. — “The meaning is, that there should be, at this time, a great and most bright display of the divine majesty and justice, which the impious and hypocritical could not bear; and that, struck with the terror of the divine judgment, they should consult for their safety, with the utmost terror and consternation, in caves, dens, and holes of the earth.” “The Prophet Hosea hath carried the same image further, and added great strength and spirit to it, Hos 10:8. They shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us; which image, together with these of Isaiah, is adopted by the sublime author of the Rev 6:15-16.” See Dodd and Bishop Lowth.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv19–21 And they shall go - That is, the worshippers…
And they shall go - That is, the worshippers of idols.
Into the holes of the rocks - Judea was a mountainous country, and the mountains abounded with caves that offered a safe retreat for those who were in danger. Many of those caverns were very spacious. At En-gedi, in particular, a cave is mentioned where David with six hundred men hid himself from Saul in the “sides” of it; 1 Sam. 24. Sometimes caves or dens were artificially constructed for refuge or defense in danger; Jdg 6:2; 1Sa 13:6. Thus, ‘because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.’ Jdg 6:2. To these they fled in times of hostile invasion. ‘When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits;’ 1Sa 13:6; compare Jer 41:9. Mahomet speaks of a tribe of Arabians, the tribe of Thamud, who ‘hewed houses out of the mountains to secure themselves;’ Koran, ch. xv. and xxvi. Grots or rooms hewed out of rocks for various purposes are often mentioned by travelers in Oriental regions: see Maundrell, p. 118, and Burckhardt’s “Travels in Syria,” and particularly Laborde’s “Journey to Arabia Petrea.” Such caves are often mentioned by Josephus as affording places of refuge for banditti and robbers; “Ant.,” B. xiv. ch. 15, and “Jewish Wars,” B. i. ch. 16. To enter into the caves and dens, therefore, as places of refuge, was a very natural image to denote consternation. The meaning here is, that the worshippers of idols should be so alarmed as to seek for a place of security and refuge; compare Isa 2:10.
Read full note →
When he ariseth - This is an expression often used in the Scriptures to denote the commencement of doing anything. It is here derived, perhaps, from the image of one who has been in repose - as of a lion or warrior, rousing up suddenly, and putting forth mighty efforts.
To shake terribly the earth - An image denoting the presence of God, for judgment or punishment. One of the magnificent images which the sacred writers often use to denote the presence of the Lord is, that the earth shakes and trembles; the mountains bow and are convulsed; 2Sa 22:8 : ‘Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved, because he was wroth;’ See also Isa 2:9-16; Jdg 5:4; Hab 3:6-10 : ‘The mountains saw thee and trembled;’ Heb 12:26 : ‘Whose voice then shook the earth.’ The image here denotes that he would come forth in such wrath that the very earth should tremble, as if alarmed his presence. The mind cannot conceive more sublime images than are thus used by the sacred writers.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v20 Bats. The Egyptians adored all sorts of animals. (Herodotus…
Bats. The Egyptians adored all sorts of animals. (Herodotus ii. 65.) --- Ægyptus portenta colat. (Juvenal xv.) --- Omnigenumque Deum monstra. (Virgil, Æneid viii.) --- The mole was much esteemed by magicians, who promised any the art of divination and success, who should eat the heart of one still warm. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxx. 3.) The Israelites were always ready to embrace such superstitious practices. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv19–20 The fulfilment answers exactly to the threat (Isa 2:10).
The fulfilment answers exactly to the threat (Isa 2:10).
they--the idol-worshippers.
Read full note →
caves--abounding in Judea, a hilly country; hiding-places in times of alarm (Sa1 13:6).
shake . . . earth--and the heavens also (Heb 12:26). Figure for severe and universal judgments.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv19–21 19. Holes of the rocks — In Isa_2:10 similar…
19. Holes of the rocks — In Isa_2:10 similar language is used as a warning, but here it is a direct prediction. Idols, the whole mass of them, shall pass away into their natural utter nothingness.
When he ariseth — Literally, In his arising; in God’s addressing himself with terribly obvious purpose.
Read full note →
Shake… earth — The intimation seems to be a recent earthquake, and all this prophetic speech may have taken advantage of the event when the worldly indifference of the people was for the time arrested. Amos speaks of the great earthquake in Uzziah’s reign. Amo_1:1. God is the immediate cause of all physical phenomena, and he makes the physical serve the moral. In all his great comings to “shake terribly the earth,” he uses the one phenomenon as the means to engage serious attention, the other, as the end, to wit, to secure moral reformation.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv19–21 19. they shall go] i.e., as R.V., men shall…
19. they shall go] i.e., as R.V., men shall go.
holes of the rocks … earth] Better: caves of the rocks and into the holes of the dust (R.V. and marg.; see on Isa_2:10 above).
Read full note →
to shake terribly the earth] R.V. has “to shake mightily,” but the strict rendering is to terrify the earth: a paronomasia in Heb., easily imitated in Latin, “ut terreat terram.” There is an undoubted allusion to an earthquake. Isaiah must have experienced the great earthquake in the reign of Uzziah (Amo_1:1; Zec_14:5); and the deep impression made on his youthful mind furnished him with a presentiment of the terror of the great day of Jehovah.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv19–21 (19) And they shall go into the holes of…
(19) And they shall go into the holes of the rocks.—The imagery of the earthquake in Uzziah’s reign (see Note on Isa_2:10) is still present to Isaiah’s thoughts. (See Rev_6:15.)
When he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.—The Hebrew verb and noun have the emphasis of a paronomasia which cannot be reproduced in English, but of which the Latin “ut terreat terram” gives some idea.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv19–21 They shall go into the holes of the rooks,…
They shall go into the holes of the rooks, etc. (see ver. 10, which is an exhortation to do what this verse declares will be done). On the abundant caves of Palestine, see note on the former passage. To shake terribly the earth; literally, to affright the earth. It is not said in what way he will affright it. The cognate Arabic verb has the meaning "to shake;" but it is not clear that the Hebrew one has ever this sense.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv19–20 And they shall go into the holes of the…
Isa_2:19
And they shall go into the holes of the rocks
Read full note →
No escape from the judgments of God
They shall vainly seek to escape, as unarmed peasants or women fly into the nearest cave or hole when they hear the hoofs of some plundering tribe of Edom or Ishmael from the desert; but the judgment of Jehovah shall reach them, as the earthquake (then, as now, not uncommon in Judaea) would bring down the reck on him who sought refuge in it.
(Sir E. Strachey, Bart.)
For fear of the Lord
The fear of the Lord
1. It is some alleviation of a mans misfortune, if he knows the worst of it. For the apprehension of evil is sometimes worse than the evil itself. But this rule holds good only in temporal evils.
2. In the present state of things, men can harden their hearts against all the threatenings and terrors of the Lord: and have so accustomed themselves to dispute and disbelieve everything which is supernatural, that the concerns of another world make but faint impressions upon them.
3. The great foundation, therefore, on which the substance of our religion is built, is the belief of that day when God shall call men to an account for all the works which they have done in this life, and shall deal with them according to the promises and threatenings of His own word.
4. The way not to be afraid of the wrath of God then, is to stand in awe of it now.
5. He hath declared that He hath an extraordinary indignation at proud men, i.e., such as have no regard for His laws, and that He will one day effectually humble them.
6. When we fear God as a merciful and gracious Father, we live easy in His family, and rejoice in His presence; but a guilty fear causes us to fly from
Him like our first parent, dreading Him as justly provoked to be angry with us, and ready to execute His threatened judgments upon us.
7. The fear of the Lord, says Solomon, is the beginning of wisdom; and I will venture to add, that it is the end of it too: for a man can never be denominated wise without this fear; whenever he lays it aside, he certainly plays the fool.
8. There is no man who, by daily reading and hearing of Gods Word, keeps the rule of his life in his eye, but must see that he has manifold reasons to be humbled for not acting up to it.
9. And as horrible fear, so shall shame and confusion of face be the portion of all those who will not now be restrained by a virtuous modesty from offending against God.
10. Let us, then, wisely make choice of these restraints in due season, and keep up their influence so strong in our minds, that no sinful temptation, even in the closest retirement and most secret corner, may ever be able to prevail against them. (W. Reading, M. A.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v20 General Information:
General Information:
Isaiah speaks to the people of Judah in the form of a poem. He continues to describe what will happen on the day of Yahweh of Hosts (Isaiah 2:12). (See: Parallelism)
Read full note →
to the moles and bats
Moles are small animals that dig and live underground. Bats are small flying animals that sometimes live in caves. AT: "to the animals" (See: Translate Unknowns)
the crevices in the rocks ... the clefts of the ragged rocks
If your language does not have two different words for "crevice" and "cleft," the space that appears between the two parts of a rock when it splits, you can combine these two phrases into one.
from the terror of Yahweh
because they are very afraid of Yahweh. See how you translated this in Isaiah 2:19.
the glory of his majesty
"the great beauty and power he has as king" or "his royal majesty." See how you translated this in Isaiah 2:10.
when he rises to terrify the earth
"when Yahweh takes action and causes the people of the earth to be terribly afraid of him." See how you translated this in Isaiah 2:19.
whose life-breath is in his nostrils
This describes how man is human and weak by emphasizing that he needs to breath to live. AT: "who is weak and will die" or "who needs the breath in his nose to live" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
nostrils
the holes in the nose through which people breathe
for what does he amount to?
Isaiah uses a question to remind the people of something they should already know. This question can be translated as a statement. AT: "for man amounts to nothing!" or "for man is not worth anything!" (See: Rhetorical Question)
translationWords
day of the Lord
false god
silver
gold
worship
Yahweh
glory
majesty
trust
life
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v20 2:20-21 Animals such as rodents and bats lead a…
2:20-21 Animals such as rodents and bats lead a shadowy, subterranean existence. Those who worship idols will become like them in attempting to escape the Lord’s judgment.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.