Isaiah 17:5

“And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, &c.] The “standing” corn, as in the Hebrew text: “and reapeth the ears with his arm”; or “his arm reaps the ears”f332; that is, with one hand he gathers the standing corn into his fist, and then reaps it with his other arm; and just so it should be with the people of Israel: they were like a field of standing corn, for number, beauty, and glory; the Assyrian was like a harvestman, who laid hold upon them, and cut them down, as thick and as numerous as they were, just as a harvestman cuts down the corn, and with as much ease and quick dispatch; they being no more able to stand before him than a field of corn before the reaper! this…”

“harvestman, &c.--The inhabitants and wealth of Israel shall be swept away, and but few left behind just as the husbandman gathers the corn and the fruit, and leaves only a few gleaning ears and grapes (Kg2 18:9-11). with his arm--He collects the standing grain with one arm, so that he can cut it with the sickle in the other hand. Rephaim--a fertile plain at the southwest of Jerusalem toward Beth-lehem and the country of the Philistines (Sa2 5:18-22).”

“And it shall be ... - This is the other figure by which the prophet sets forth the calamities that were coming upon Ephraim - an image designed to denote the fact that the inhabitants and wealth of the land would be collected and removed, as the farmer gathers his harvest, and leaves only that which is inaccessible in the upper boughs of the tree, or the gleanings in the field. As when the harvest-man gathereth the corn - The wheat, the barley, etc.; for so the word “corn” - now applied by us almost exclusively to maizes means in the Scriptures. The sense in this passage is plain. As the farmer cuts down and collects his grain and removes it from the harvest field, so the enemies of Ephraim…”

“Gathereth - Taking care, as far as may be, that all may be gathered in, and nothing left. So shall the whole body of the ten tribes be carried away captive, some few gleanings only being left. Rephaim - A very fruitful place near Jerusalem. Isaiah 17:6”

“17:5 The valley of Rephaim was a fertile valley in Judah; however, it looked bare after each harvest.”

“as when: Jer 9:22, Jer 51:33; Hos 6:11; Joe 3:13; Mat 13:30, Mat 13:39-42; Rev 14:15-20 the valley: Jos 15:8, Jos 18:16, the valley of the giants, Sa2 5:18, Sa2 5:22 Isaiah 17:6”