Isaiah 21:13

“The burden upon Arabia, &c.] Which lay heavy upon it, as a burden upon a beast; or “concerning” it, or “against” it, as Kimchi notes; which Arabia, or what part thereof, is meant, may be gathered from the names after mentioned. The Targum is, “the burden of the cup of cursing, to give the Arabians to drink.” Ben Melech says, these are the Arabians that dwell in the wilderness: in the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge; not in their tents and huts, which they had used to carry with them, and set up where they pleased; since now in their fright and flight they would leave them behind them, and so be obliged to take up their lodging in woods and forests; perhaps the desert of Arabia Petraea is…”

“PROPHECY THAT ARABIA WOULD BE OVERRUN BY A FOREIGN FOE WITHIN A YEAR. (Isa 21:13-17) upon--that is, respecting. forest--not a grove of trees, but a region of thick underwood, rugged and inaccessible; for Arabia has no forest of trees. travelling companies--caravans: ye shall be driven through fear of the foe to unfrequented routes (Isa 33:8; Jdg 5:6; Jer 49:8 is parallel to this passage). Dedanim--In North Arabia (Gen 25:3; Jer 25:23; Eze 25:13; Eze 27:20; a different "Dedan" occurs Gen 10:7).”

“Analysis of Isaiah 21:13-17. - Vision 18. “Arabia.” The remainder of this chapter is occupied with a single prophecy respecting Arabia. It was “probably” delivered about the time that the former was uttered - during the reign of Hezekiah, and before the invasion of Sennacherib. It had reference, I suppose, to Sennacherib; and was designed to foretell the fact that, either in his march to attack Judea, or on his return from Egypt, he would pass through Arabia, and perhaps oppress and overthrow some of their clans. At all events, it was to be fulfilled within a year after it was uttered Isaiah 21:16, and refers to “some” foreign invasion that was to conic upon their land. Rosenmuller supposes…”

“Forest - Not as you used to do, in the houses or tents of the Arabians: whereby he implies, that that populous country should be a wilderness. Companies - In those parts travellers then did, and still do, go together in companies. Dedanim - These were merchants, who used to trade with Tyre, and their way lay thro' Arabia. Isaiah 21:14”

“21:13-17 Cp. Jer 49:28-33. 21:13 Dedan was a tribe in Arabia (see Ezek 27:20; 38:13). • Caravans would hide in the deserts of Arabia from attacks by the Assyrians and Babylonians, both of whom harassed the Arabian tribes (see Isa 21:1-10; Jer 49:28-29).”

“Arabia: Kg1 10:15; Jer 25:23, Jer 25:24, Jer 49:28-33; Gal 4:25 O ye: Isa 13:20; Gen 25:3; Ch1 1:9, Ch1 1:32; Eze 27:15, Eze 27:20, Eze 27:21 Isaiah 21:14”

“The heading בּערב משּׂא (the ע written according to the best codd. with a simple sheva), when pointed as we have it, signifies, according to Zac 9:1 (cf., Isa 9:7), "oracle against Arabia." But why not massâ ‛Arâb, since massâ is followed by a simple genitive in the other three headings? Or again, is this the only heading in the tetralogy that is not symbolical? We must assume that the Beth by which this is distinguished is introduced for the express purpose of rendering it symbolical, and that the prophet pointed it first of all בּערב, but had at the same time בּערב in his mind. The earlier translators (lxx, Targum, Syr., Vulg., Ar.) read the second בּערב like the first, but without any…”