Isaiah 14:32

“What shall [one] then answer the messengers of the nation? &c.] Or nations, of any of the nations. Not the messengers sent to Hezekiah, (<233901>Isaiah 39:1) but rather such as were sent to him, to congratulate him upon his victory over the Philistines; or any others that were sent, and came from other nations, that inquired about these matters, and the answer returned is, That the Lord hath founded Zion; and not Hezekiah; he had given his people victory over their enemies, and protected, defended, and established them, and therefore ought to have all the glory: and the poor of his people shall trust in it; or, “betake themselves to it”; as to a place of safety, being founded by the Lord,…”

“messengers of the nation--When messengers come from Philistia to enquire as to the state of Judea, the reply shall be, that the Lord . . . (Psa 87:1, Psa 87:5; Psa 102:16). poor-- (Zep 3:12). LOWTH thinks it was delivered in the first years of Hezekiah's reign and fulfilled in the fourth when Shalmaneser, on his way to invade Israel, may have seized on the strongholds of Moab. Moab probably had made common cause with Israel and Syria in a league against Assyria. Hence it incurred the vengeance of Assyria. Jeremiah has introduced much of this prophecy into his forty-eighth chapter. Next: Isaiah Chapter 15”

“What shall one then answer - The design of this verse is obvious. It is to show that Judea would be safe from the invasions of the Philistines, and that God was the protector of Zion. For this purpose the prophet refers to messengers or ambassadors who should be sent for any purpose to Jerusalem, either to congratulate Hezekiah, or to form an alliance with the Jews. The prophet asks what answer or information should be given to such messengers when they came respecting their state? The reply is, that Yahweh had evinced his purpose to protect his people. Of the nation - Of any nation whose ambassadors should be sent into Judea. That the Lord hath founded Zion - That he is its original…”

“What - What shall a Jew say to the people of other nations, who shall enquire concerning the state of Zion, when not only the Philistines, but even the Jews themselves, shall fall by the hands of the same enemy? That - They shall give them this answer, That although Zion at present be in a very distressed condition, yet she stands upon a firm foundation, and God who first founded her, will restore her, and his poor despised people shall resort to her, as to a strong refuge. Next: Isaiah Chapter 15”

“14:32 The Lord has built Jerusalem: God was fully willing and capable of defending Judah, and he did not want the kingdom to make alliances with nations such as the Philistines to protect themselves from the invading Assyrians.”

“shall one: Isa 39:1; Sa2 8:10; Kg2 20:12-19 the Lord: Isa 12:6, Isa 37:32; Psa 87:1, Psa 87:5, Psa 102:16, Psa 102:28, Psa 132:13, Psa 132:14; Mat 16:18 and the: Isa 11:4, Isa 25:4; Zep 3:12; Zac 11:7, Zac 11:11; Jam 2:5 trust in it: or, betake themselves unto it, Pro 18:10; Mat 24:15, Mat 24:16; Heb 12:22 Next: Isaiah Chapter 15”

“To understand Isa 14:32, which follows here, nothing more is needed than a few simple parenthetical thoughts, which naturally suggest themselves. This one desire was the thirst for conquest, and such a desire could not possibly have only the small strip of Philistian coast for its object; but the conquest of this was intended as the means of securing possession of other countries on the right hand and on the left. The question arose, therefore, How would Judah fare with the fire which was rolling towards it from the north? For the very fact that the prophet of Judah was threatening Philistia with this fire, presupposed that Judah itself would not be consumed by it. And this is just what is…”