Isaiah 13:9

“Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, &c.] Or “is come”f248; said in (<231306>Isaiah 13:6) to be at hand, but now it is represented in prophecy as already come: cruel both with wrath and fierce anger; which, whether referred to “the Lord”, or to “the day”, the sense is the same; the day may be said to be cruel, and full of wrath and fury, because of the severity and fierceness of the Lord’s anger, exercised upon the Babylonians in it; and he may be said to be so, not that he really is cruel, or exceeds the bounds of justice, but because he seemed to be so to the objects of his displeasure; as a judge may be thought to be cruel and severe by the malefactor, when he only pronounces and executes…”

“cruel--not strictly, but unsparingly just; opposed to mercy. Also answering to the cruelty (in the strict sense) of Babylon towards others (Isa 14:17) now about to be visited on itself. the land--"the earth" [HORSLEY]. The language of Isa 13:9-13 can only primarily and partially apply to Babylon; fully and exhaustively, the judgments to come, hereafter, on the whole earth. Compare Isa 13:10 with Mat 24:29; Rev 8:12. The sins of Babylon, arrogancy (Isa 13:11; Isa 14:11; Isa 47:7-8), cruelty, false worship (Jer 50:38), persecution of the people of God (Isa 47:6), are peculiarly characteristic of the Antichristian world of the latter days (Dan 11:32-37; Rev 17:3, Rev 17:6; Rev 18:6-7, Rev…”

“The day of the Lord cometh - See Isaiah 13:6. Cruel - (אכזרי 'akezārı̂y). This does not mean that “God” is cruel, but that the ‘day of Yahweh’ that was coming should be unsparing and destructive to them. It would be the exhibition of “justice,” but not of “cruelty;” and the word stands opposed here to mercy, and means that God would not spare them. The effect would be that the inhabitants of Babylon would be destroyed. Fierce anger - Hebrew, (חרון אף 'aph chărôn) ‘A glow, or burning of anger.’ The phrase denotes the most intense indignation (compare Numbers 25:4; Numbers 32:14; 1 Samuel 28:18). To lay the land desolate - Chaldea, Isaiah 13:5. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Behold - Divers words are heaped together, to signify the extremity of his anger. Isaiah 13:10”

“cruel: Isa 13:15-18, Isa 47:10-15; Jer 6:22, Jer 6:23, Jer 50:40-42, 51:35-58; Nah 1:2, Nah 1:6; Mal 4:1; Rev 17:16, Rev 17:17, Rev 18:8, Rev 19:17-21 he shall: Psa 104:35; Pro 2:22 Isaiah 13:10”

“The day of Jehovah's wrath is coming - a starless night - a nightlike, sunless day. "Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, a cruel one, and wrath and fierce anger, to turn the earth into a wilderness: and its sinners He destroys out of it. For the stars of heaven, and its Orions, will not let their light shine: the sun darkens itself at its rising, and the moon does not let its light shine." The day of Jehovah cometh as one cruelly severe ('aczâri, an adj. rel. from 'aczâr, chosh, kosh, to be dry, hard, unfelling), as purely an overflowing of inward excitement, and as burning anger; lâsūm is carried on by the finite verb, according to a well-known alteration of style (= ūlehashmı̄d). It is…”