Verses 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, 1 Sam. xxiv. 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. 4, 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 µyrh 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," Judg. vi. 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," 1 Sam. xiii. 6, and see Jeremiah xli. 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, chap. x. 8, hath carried the same image farther, and added great strength and spirit to it: "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 Revelation, chap. vi. 15, 16, who frequently borrows his imagery from our prophet. - L.

Matthew Henry Commentary

Is. 2:1-9 The calling of the Gentiles, the spread of the gospel, an that far more extensive preaching of it yet to come, are foretold. Le Christians strengthen one another, and support one another. It is God who teaches his people, by his word and Spirit. Christ promotes peace as well as holiness. If all men were real Christians, there could be n war; but nothing answering to these expressions has yet taken place of the earth. Whatever others do, let us walk in the light of this peace Let us remember that when true religion flourishes, men delight i going up to the house of the Lord, and in urging others to accompan them. Those are in danger who please themselves with strangers to God for we soon learn to follow the ways of persons whose company we keep It is not having silver and gold, horses and chariots, that displease God, but depending upon them, as if we could not be safe, and easy, an happy without them, and could not but be so with them. Sin is disgrace to the poorest and the lowest. And though lands calle Christian are not full of idols, in the literal sense, are they no full of idolized riches? and are not men so busy about their gains an indulgences, that the Lord, his truths, and precepts, are forgotten of despised?

Is. 2:10-22 The taking of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans seems first mean here, when idolatry among the Jews was done away; but our thoughts ar led forward to the destruction of all the enemies of Christ. It is folly for those who are pursued by the wrath of God, to think to hid or shelter themselves from it. The shaking of the earth will be terrible to those who set their affections on things of the earth Men's haughtiness will be brought down, either by the grace of God convincing them of the evil of pride, or by the providence of God depriving them of all the things they were proud of. The day of the Lord shall be upon those things in which they put their confidence Those who will not be reasoned out of their sins, sooner or later shal be frightened out of them. Covetous men make money their god; but the time will come when they will feel it as much their burden. This whol passage may be applied to the case of an awakened sinner, ready to leave all that his soul may be saved. The Jews were prone to rely of their heathen neighbours; but they are here called upon to cease from depending on mortal man. We are all prone to the same sin. Then let no man be your fear, let not him be your hope; but let your hope be in the Lord your God. Let us make this our great concern __________________________________________________________________

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