Isaiah 14:31

“Howl, O gate, &c.] Or gates of the cities of Palestine; the magistrates that sat there to execute judgment, or the people that passed through there; or because now obliged to open to their enemies; wherefore, instead of rejoicing, they are called to howling: cry, O city; or cities, the several cities of the land, as well as their chief, because of the destruction coming upon them. The Targum is, “howl over thy gates, and cry over thy cities;” or concerning them: thou, whole Palestina, [art] dissolved; or “melted”; through fear of enemies coming upon them; or it may design the entire overthrow and dissolution of their state; for there shall come from the north a smoke; a numerous army,…”

“gate--that is, ye who throng the gate; the chief place of concourse in a city. from . . . north--Judea, north and east of Palestine. smoke--from the signal-fire, whereby a hostile army was called together; the Jews' signal-fire is meant here, the "pillar of cloud and fire," (Exo 13:21; Neh 9:19); or else from the region devastated by fire [MAURER]. GESENIUS less probably refers it to the cloud of dust raised by the invading army. none . . . alone . . . in . . . appointed times--Rather, "There shall not be a straggler among his (the enemy's) levies." The Jewish host shall advance on Palestine in close array; none shall fall back or lag from weariness (Isa 5:26-27), [LOWTH]. MAURER thinks the…”

“Howl, O gate - That is, ye who throng the gate. The gates of a city were the chief places of concourse. Cry, O city - The prophet here fixes the attention upon some principal city of Philistia, and calls upon it to be alarmed in view of the judgments that were about to come upon the whole land. Art dissolved - The word ‘dissolved’ (מוג mûg) is applied to that which melts, or which wastes away gradually, and then to that which faints or disappears. It means here that the kingdom of Philistia would disappear, or be destroyed. It probably conveys the idea of its fainting, or becoming feeble from fear or apprehension. From the north a smoke - From the regions of Judah, which lay north and east…”

“Gate - The gate is put for the city. City - City is here put collectively for their cities. The north - From Chaldea. A smoak - A grievous judgment and calamity. Times - When God's appointed time shall come, not one of all that numerous army shall desert his colours, or lag behind the rest. Isaiah 14:32”

“14:31 The advancing army, probably Assyria, would stir up clouds of dust like smoke that were ominously visible in the north.”

“Howl: Isa 13:6, Isa 16:7 for: Isa 20:1; Jer 1:14, Jer 25:16-20 none shall be alone: or, he shall not be alone appointed times: or, assemblies Isaiah 14:32”

“The massah consists of two strophes. The first threatens judgment from Judah, and the second - of seven lines - threatens judgment from Asshur. "Howl, O gate! cry, O city! O Philistia, thou must melt entirely away; for from the north cometh smoke, and there is no isolated one among his hosts." שׁער, which is a masculine everywhere else, is construed here as a feminine, possibly in order that the two imperfects may harmonize; for there is nothing to recommend Luzzatto's suggestion, that שׁער should be taken as an accusative. The strong gates of the Philistian cities (Ashdod and Gaza), of world-wide renown, and the cities themselves, shall lift up a cry of anguish; and Philistia, which has…”