TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 2:10–22. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The prophet here goes on to show what a desolation would be brought upon their land when God should have forsaken them. This may refer particularly to their destruction by the Chaldeans first, and afterwards by the Romans, or it may have a general respect to the method God takes to awaken and humble proud sinners, and to put them out of conceit with that which they delighted in and depended on more than God. We are here told that sooner or later God will find out a way,
I.To startle and awaken secure sinners, who cry peace to themselves, and bid defiance to God and his judgments (Isa 2:10):
"Enter into the rock; God will attack you with such terrible judgments, and strike you with such terrible apprehensions of them, that you shall be forced to enter into the rock, and hide yourself in the dust, for fear of the Lord. You shall lose all your courage, and tremble at the shaking of a leaf; your heart shall fail you for fear (Luk 21:26), and you shall flee when none pursues," Pro 28:1. To the same purport, Isa 2:19. They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, the darkest the deepest places; they shall call to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, and rather crush them than not cover them, Hos 10:8. It was so particularly at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans (Luk 23:30) and of the persecuting pagan powers, Rev 6:16. And all for fear of the Lord, and of the glory of his majesty, looking upon him then to be a consuming fire and themselves as stubble before him, when he arises to shake terribly the earth, to shake the wicked out of it (Job 38:13), and to shake all those earthly props and supports with which they have buoyed themselves up, to shake them from under them. Note,
1.With God is terrible majesty, and the glory of it is such as sooner or later will oblige us all to flee before him.
2.Those that will not fear God and flee to him will be forced to fear him and flee from him to a refuge of lies.
3.It is folly for those that are pursued by the wrath of God to think to escape it, and to hide or shelter themselves from it.
4.The things of the earth are things that will be shaken; they are subject to concussions, and hastening towards a dissolution.
5.The shaking of the earth is, and will be, a terrible thing to those who set their affections wholly on things of the earth.
6.It will be in vain to think of finding refuge in the caves of the earth when the earth itself is shaken; there will be no shelter then but in God and in things above.
II.To humble and abase proud sinners, that look big, and think highly of themselves, and scornfully of all about them (Isa 2:11):
The lofty looks of man shall be humbled. The eyes that aim high, the countenance in which the pride of the heart shows itself, shall be cast down in shame and despair. And the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, their spirits shall be broken, and they shall be crest-fallen, and those things which they were proud of they shall be ashamed of. It is repeated (Isa 2:17), The loftiness of man shall be bowed down. Note, Pride will, one way or other, have a fall. Men's haughtiness will be brought down, either by the grace of God convincing them of the evil of their pride, and clothing them with humility, or by the providence of God depriving them of all those things they were proud of and laying them low. Our Saviour often laid it down for a maxim that he who exalts himself shall be abased; he shall either abase himself in true repentance or God will abase him and pour contempt upon him. Now here we are told,
1.Why this shall be done: because the Lord alone will be exalted. Note, Proud men shall be vilified because the Lord alone will be magnified. It is for the honour of God's power to humble the proud; by this he proves himself to be God, and disproves Job's pretensions to rival with him, Job 40:11-14. Behold every one that is proud, and abase him; then will I also confess unto thee. It is likewise for the honour of his justice. Proud men stand in competition with God, who is jealous for his own glory, and will not suffer men either to take to themselves or give to another that which is due to him only. They likewise stand in opposition to God; they resist him, and therefore he resists them; for he will be exalted among the heathen (Psa 46:10), and there is a day coming in which he alone will be exalted, when he shall have put down all opposing rule, principality, and power, Co1 15:24.
2.How this shall be done: by humbling judgments, that shall mortify men, and bring them down (Isa 2:12): The day of the Lord of hosts, the day of his wrath and judgment, shall be upon every one that is proud. He now laughs at their insolence because he sees that his day is coming, this day, which will be upon them ere they are aware, Psa 37:13. This day of the Lord is here said to be upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up. Jerome observes that the cedars are said to praise God (Psa 148:9) and are trees of the Lord (Psa 104:16), of his planting (Isa 41:19), and yet here God's wrath fastens upon the cedars, which denotes (says he) that some of every rank of men, some great men, will be saved, and some perish. It is brought in as an instance of the strength of God's voice that it breaks the cedars (Psa 29:5), and here the day of the Lord is said to be upon the cedars, those of Lebanon, they were the straightest and statliest, - upon the oaks, those of Bashan, that were the strongest and sturdiest, - upon the natural elevations and fortresses, the highest mountains and the hills that are lifted up (Isa 2:14), that overtop the valleys and seem to push the skies, - and upon the artificial fastnesses, every high tower and every fenced wall, Isa 2:15. Understand these,
(1.)As representing the proud people themselves, that are in their own apprehensions like the cedars and the oaks, firmly rooted, and not to be stirred by any storm, and looking on all around them as shrubs; these are the high mountains and the lofty hills that seem to fill the earth, that are gazed on by all, and think themselves immovable, but lie most obnoxious to God's thunderstrokes. Feriuntique summos fulmina montes - The highest hills are most exposed to lightning. And before the power of God's wrath these mountains are scattered and these hills bow and melt like wax, Hab 3:6; Psa 68:8. These vaunting men, who are as high towers in which the noisy bells are hung, on which the thundering murdering cannon are planted - these fenced walls, that fortify themselves with their native hardiness, and intrench themselves in their fastnesses - shall be brought down.
(2.)As particularizing the things they are proud of, in which they trust, and of which they make their boast. The day of the Lord shall be upon those very things in which they put their confidence as their strength and security; he will take from the all their armour wherein they trusted. Did the inhabitants of Lebanon glory in their cedars, and those of Bashan in their oaks, such as no country could equal? The day of the Lord should rend those cedars, those oaks, and the houses built of them. Did Jerusalem glory in the mountains that were round about it, as its impregnable fortifications, or in its walls and bulwarks? These should be levelled and laid low in the day of the Lord. Besides those things that were for their strength and safety they were proud,
[1.]Of their trade abroad; but the day of the Lord shall be upon all the ships of Tarshish; they shall be broken as Jehoshaphat's were, shall founder at sea or be ship-wrecked in harbour. Zebulun was a haven of ships, but should now no more rejoice in his going out. When God is bringing ruin upon a people he can sink all the branches of their revenue.
[2.]Of their ornaments at home; but the day of the Lord shall be upon all pleasant pictures, the painting of their ships (so some understand it) or the curious pieces of painting they brought home in their ships from other countries, perhaps from Greece, which afterwards was famous for painters. Upon every thing that is beautiful to behold; so some read it. Perhaps they were the pictures of their relations, and for that reason pleasant, or of their gods, which to the idolaters were delectable things; or they admired them for the fineness of their colours or strokes. There is no harm in making pictures, nor in adorning our rooms with them, provided they transgress not either the second or the seventh commandment. But to place our pictures among our pleasant things, to be fond of them and proud of them, to spend that upon them which should be laid out in charity, and to set out hearts upon them, as it ill becomes those who have so many substantial things to take pleasure in, so it tends to provoke God to strip us of all such vain ornaments.
III.To make idolaters ashamed of their idols, and of all the affection they have had for them and the respect they have paid to them (Isa 2:18):
The idols he shall utterly abolish. When the Lord alone shall be exalted (Isa 2:17) he will not only pour contempt upon proud men, who like Pharaoh exalt themselves against him, but much more upon all pretended deities, who are rivals with him for divine honours. They shall be abolished, utterly abolished. Their friends shall desert them; their enemies shall destroy them; so that, one way or other, an utter riddance shall be made of them. See here,
1.The vanity of false gods; they cannot secure themselves, so far are they from being able to secure their worshippers.
2.The victory of the true God over them; for great is the truth and will prevail. Dagon fell before the ark, and Baal before the Lord God of Elijah. The gods of the heathen shall be famished (Zep 2:11), and by degrees shall perish, Jer 10:11. The rightful Sovereign will triumph over all pretenders. And, as God will abolish idols, so their worshippers shall abandon them, either from a gracious conviction of their vanity and falsehood (as Ephraim when he said, What have I to do any more with idols?) or from a late and sad experience of their inability to help them, and a woeful despair of relief by them, Isa 2:20. When men are themselves frightened by the judgments of God into the holes of the rocks and caves of the earth, and find that they do thus in vain shift for their own safety, they shall cast their idols, which they have made their gods, and hoped to make their friends in the time of need, to the moles and to the bats, any where out of sight, that, being freed from the incumbrance of them, they may go into the clefts of the rocks, for fear of the Lord, Isa 2:21. Note,
(1.)Those that will not be reasoned out of their sins sooner or later shall be frightened out of them.
(2.)God can make men sick of those idols that they have been most fond of, even the idols of silver and the idols of gold, the most precious. Covetous men make silver and gold their idols, money their god; but the time may come when they may feel it as much their burden as ever they made it their confidence, and may find themselves as much exposed by it as ever they hoped they should be guarded by it, when it tempts their enemy, sinks their ship, or retards their flight. There was a time when the mariners threw the wares, and even the wheat into the sea (Jon 1:5; Act 27:38), and the Syrians cast away their garments for haste, Kg2 7:15. Or men may cast it away out of indignation at themselves for leaning upon such a broken reed. See Eze 7:19. The idolaters here throw away their idols because they are ashamed of them and of their own folly in trusting to them, or because they are afraid of having them found in their possession when the judgments of God are abroad; as the thief throws away his stolen goods then he is searched for or pursued.
(3.)The darkest holes, where the moles and the bats lodge, are the fittest places for idols, that have eyes and see not; and God can force men to cast their own idols there (Isa 30:22), when they are ashamed of the oaks which they have desired, ch. 1. 29. Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, Jer 48:13.
(4.)It is possible that sin may be both loathed and left and yet not truly repented of - loathed because surfeited on, left because there is no opportunity of committing it, yet not repented of out of any love to God, but only from a slavish fear of his wrath.
IV.To make those that have trusted in an arm of flesh ashamed of their confidence (Isa 2:22):
"Cease from man. The providences of God concerning you shall speak this aloud to you, and therefore take warning beforehand, that you may prevent the uneasiness and shame of disappointment; and consider, 1. How weak man is: His breath is in his nostrils, puffed out every moment, soon gone for good and all." Man is a dying creature, and may die quickly; our nostrils, in which our breath is, are of the outward parts of the body; what is there is like one standing at the door, ready to depart; nay the doors of the nostrils are always open, the breath in them may slip away ere we are aware, in a moment. Wherein then is man to be accounted of? Alas! no reckoning is to be made of him, for he is not what he seems to be, what he pretends to be, what we fancy him to be. Man is like vanity, nay, he is vanity, he is altogether vanity, he is less, he is lighter, than vanity, when weighed in the balance of the sanctuary. "2. How wise therefore those are that cease from man;" it is our duty, it is our interest, to do so. "Put not your trust in man, nor make even the greatest and mightiest of men your confidence; cease to do so. Let not your eye be to the power of man, for it is finite and limited, derived and depending; it is not from him that your judgment proceeds. Let not him be your fear, let not him be your hope; but look up to the power of God, to which all the powers of men are subject and subordinate; dread his wrath, secure his favour, take him for your help, and let your hope be in the Lord your God."
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
(Verse 14.) And above all high mountains, and above all elevated hills. Just as for the variety of virtues, mountains and hills are called good things: so among the impious for the diversity of vices, and especially pride, some are mountains, some are hills, over which the day of the Lord will come, of which it is written in Ezekiel: Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and hills: behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and your high places shall be destroyed, and your altars shall be broken down, and the rest (Ezech. VI, 3).
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Summary
Isaiah 2:14 stands as a potent declaration within a sweeping prophetic oracle, foretelling the comprehensive judgment of the "Day of the Lord." This verse specifically targets "all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up," serving as powerful symbols for every form of human pride, self-exaltation, and seemingly impregnable power that stands in defiance or independence of God's absolute sovereignty. It underscores the divine resolve to humble all earthly constructs and human achievements, thereby clearing the way for the Lord alone to be exalted.
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah 2:14 is embedded within a profound prophetic section (Isaiah 2:6-22) that starkly contrasts with the preceding vision of God's glorious future kingdom and universal peace (Isaiah 2:1-5). While verses 2-4 depict Zion as the exalted center of true worship and justice, the subsequent verses pivot dramatically to Judah's contemporary reality of pervasive idolatry, rampant materialism, and profound arrogance. Verses 12-16 specifically enumerate various objects of human pride and strength—from the majestic cedars of Lebanon and oaks of Bashan (Isaiah 2:13) to mountains, hills (Isaiah 2:14), fortified towers, and high walls (Isaiah 2:15), and even the ships of Tarshish (Isaiah 2:16)—all destined for divine abasement on the "Day of the Lord." This comprehensive litany serves to illustrate the all-encompassing nature of God's impending judgment, ensuring that no human-exalted thing will remain untouched. The deliberate repetition of terms like "high" and "lifted up" throughout this passage creates a powerful rhetorical emphasis on the pervasive nature of human hubris and the certainty of its downfall.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecies of Isaiah were delivered during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, spanning the reigns of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (approximately 740-687 BC). This era was characterized by significant political instability, the formidable and growing threat of the Assyrian Empire, and a widespread spiritual decline within Judah. The nation was plagued by idolatry, social injustice, and a dangerous reliance on military strength and strategic alliances with foreign powers, rather than on the covenant faithfulness and protective power of Yahweh. In the ancient Near East, "high mountains" and "hills" often served multiple symbolic and practical purposes: they were frequently sites for pagan worship (known as "high places"), natural fortresses offering strategic defense, or general symbols of established power, permanence, and security. The prophet's condemnation of these elevated features would have resonated deeply with a people who frequently turned to such physical and spiritual "high places" for their perceived strength and protection, rather than placing their trust solely in the Lord.
Key Themes
Isaiah 2:14 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes woven throughout the book of Isaiah. Firstly, it amplifies the theme of Divine Judgment on Human Pride, which is a central and pervasive message. The "Day of the Lord" is primarily presented as a time when "the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low" (as declared in Isaiah 2:17). Secondly, this verse reinforces the theme of God's Absolute Sovereignty; by humbling everything that is "high and lifted up," the passage unequivocally asserts that only the Lord is truly exalted and worthy of worship, standing in stark contrast to the futility and emptiness of human constructs and idols (a point further emphasized in Isaiah 2:8-9). Finally, it highlights the theme of False Security; the reliance on natural strongholds, human achievements, or any earthly power, symbolized by the "high mountains" and "hills," is exposed as ultimately vain and incapable of withstanding God's righteous judgment. This echoes warnings found in other prophetic books about the peril of trusting in anything other than the Lord (for example, Jeremiah 17:5).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
A primitive root meaning "to be high actively, to rise or raise (in various applications, literally or figuratively)." In this context, it describes the inherent elevation of the mountains, but also carries a profound metaphorical connotation of human pride, exaltation, and self-sufficiency. These human qualities are metaphorically "high" in their own estimation, setting themselves up against God. This word is frequently used to describe God's own exaltation, making its application to human constructs a deliberate and striking contrast, highlighting their illegitimate elevation.
A shortened form of הָרָר, referring to "a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)." Here, "mountains" transcend mere physical elevations; they represent major powers, nations, established institutions, or formidable societal structures that appear unshakeable and permanent in human eyes. They are potent symbols of permanence, strength, and often, the very seat of human dominion, authority, and perceived invincibility, which God intends to dismantle.
A primitive root meaning "to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative." This word, used here as a passive participle (nissa'ot), emphasizes the active state of being elevated or exalted. When applied to hills, it reinforces their prominence. More significantly, in the context of divine judgment, it powerfully points to the human tendency to "lift up" or exalt themselves, their achievements, their idols, or their systems of power, all of which God promises to bring low. It speaks to the active human agency in self-exaltation.
Verse Breakdown
"And upon all the high mountains"
This clause initiates the comprehensive scope of God's impending judgment, extending it to the grandest and most imposing natural features. "High mountains" serve as powerful symbols for the most significant and seemingly unassailable expressions of human power, pride, and established authority—whether political, military, economic, or even religious (e.g., pagan "high places"). The use of "all" signifies the universal and inescapable nature of this divine judgment, indicating that no earthly eminence or human-exalted construct will escape divine scrutiny and abasement.
"and upon all the hills [that are] lifted up"
This clause functions as a parallel intensification of the previous statement, broadening the scope of judgment to include "hills." While smaller than mountains, hills are still prominent elevations. The phrase "lifted up" further emphasizes the characteristic of elevation, both physical and metaphorical. This reiteration underscores the pervasive nature of human pride, which manifests not only in grand, "mountainous" achievements and institutions but also in lesser, yet still arrogant, forms of self-exaltation and reliance. Both natural elevations and the human constructs built upon them, signifying humanity's misplaced trust in self rather than God, are definitively targeted for humbling.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 2:14 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message with striking force. Parallelism is prominently featured in the symmetrical structure of "all the high mountains" and "all the hills that are lifted up." This is a clear example of synonymous parallelism, where the second clause reiterates and reinforces the idea of the first, creating a sense of comprehensive and inescapable judgment. Symbolism is central to the verse's meaning, as "mountains" and "hills" are not merely geographical features but powerful representations of human institutions, powers, and the very essence of human pride and self-sufficiency that defiantly stand against God. The recurring motif of things being "high" or "lifted up" throughout this passage (also seen in Isaiah 2:12-13, 15) constitutes a powerful form of repetition or anaphora. This repetition builds a dramatic crescendo, emphasizing the pervasive nature of human arrogance and the absolute certainty that every exalted thing will ultimately be brought low by divine decree.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 2:14, situated within the broader context of the "Day of the Lord," serves as a stark and profound reminder of God's unyielding opposition to human pride and self-exaltation. It articulates a fundamental theological principle: anything that humanity elevates above God, whether it be power, wealth, status, intellect, or even natural strength, will ultimately be humbled before His supreme and singular sovereignty. This divine judgment is not arbitrary but is a necessary and righteous act designed to clear the way for God's sole exaltation, establishing His kingdom where only He is high and lifted up. The verse thus issues a profound call for a posture of radical humility and absolute reliance on the Creator, rather than on the created or on human ingenuity and strength.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 2:14 challenges us to deeply examine the "high mountains" and "lifted up hills" in our own lives, our communities, and the broader society we inhabit. What are the things that we, either individually or collectively, elevate as ultimate sources of security, identity, worth, or power, apart from God? This verse calls us to a radical and searching humility, prompting us to recognize that true stability, lasting significance, and genuine peace come only from aligning ourselves with God's will and placing our trust solely and unreservedly in Him. It encourages us to actively dismantle any idols of self-reliance, worldly success, human achievement, or even intellectual prowess, understanding that anything built on the foundation of pride is ultimately destined to crumble and fall. Instead of striving to be "high and lifted up" in the world's fleeting estimation, we are called to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, knowing with certainty that in His perfect timing, He will exalt us. This transformative perspective fosters a spirit of profound dependence, deep gratitude, and a proper reverence for the Lord, leading to a life lived for His glory rather than our own.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "Day of the Lord" mentioned in the context of Isaiah 2:14?
The "Day of the Lord" is a prominent and recurring prophetic theme throughout the Old Testament, particularly emphasized in the book of Isaiah. It refers to a specific, decisive time when God sovereignly intervenes in human history to execute judgment on sin, pride, and idolatry, to purify His people, and ultimately to establish His righteous and universal kingdom. It is depicted as a day of reckoning for those who have exalted themselves against God, but also as a day of salvation, vindication, and restoration for the humble and faithful. In Isaiah 2, it is primarily depicted as a day of divine humbling of all human arrogance, leading to God's sole and supreme exaltation, as powerfully declared in Isaiah 2:17.
Why does Isaiah use natural features like "mountains" and "hills" to symbolize human pride?
In ancient Near Eastern thought and biblical symbolism, mountains and hills were often perceived as enduring symbols of permanence, strength, stability, and even divine presence. They could also be associated with places of pagan worship ("high places") or fortified cities, representing human attempts at security and self-sufficiency. By prophesying judgment "upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up," Isaiah employs these seemingly unshakeable natural features as powerful metaphors for anything that humanity considers strong, secure, or elevated—be it political power, military might, accumulated wealth, human wisdom, or even religious systems that defy or replace God. The profound message conveyed is that no matter how formidable or entrenched human pride, self-reliance, or earthly power may appear, they are ultimately vulnerable and will inevitably be brought low by God's righteous and comprehensive judgment.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 2:14, with its pronouncement of comprehensive judgment on all that is "high and lifted up," finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not merely in the humbling of human pride, but profoundly in the paradoxical exaltation of Christ through His unparalleled humility. While the "Day of the Lord" described in Isaiah brings low the proud and self-exalted, the New Testament reveals Jesus Christ as the one who perfectly embodies true humility, even to the point of unimaginable suffering and death on a cross. As Philippians 2:8 powerfully states, He "humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Yet, it is precisely through this profound and ultimate act of self-abasement that God the Father "highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name" (Philippians 2:9). Thus, the very principle of God opposing the proud and exalting the humble, so vividly depicted in Isaiah, is supremely and perfectly demonstrated in the person and work of Christ. He is the true "mountain" of God, the one truly "lifted up" not by human arrogance or earthly power, but by divine appointment and righteous suffering, drawing all people to Himself through His sacrifice (as prophesied in John 12:32). His first coming inaugurated and His second coming will consummate the ultimate "Day of the Lord," where the proud are judged and the humble, who place their trust and faith in Him, find eternal exaltation and salvation in His glorious kingdom.