Isaiah 31:4

“For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me, &c.] The prophet Isaiah, who had heard and received what follows from the Lord, and therefore it might be depended upon; and they are words of grace and mercy, promising preservation and deliverance; and therefore it was a foolish thing to send to Egypt for help: Like as the lion, and the young lion roaring on his prey; or “muttering”, or “growling over his prey”f624; for the lion roars when he is hungry, and wants a prey, and not when he has got one; but when he has one, and is tearing it in pieces, and feeding upon it, he makes a lower noise, a growling one, especially when he apprehends anyone near to disturb him: when a multitude of shepherds is…”

“(Isa 42:13; Hos 11:10). roaring on--"growling over" his prey. abase himself--be disheartened or frightened.”

“For thus hath the Lord spoken - The design of this verse and the following is to assure the Jews of the certain protection of Yahweh, and thus to induce them to put their trust in him rather than to seek the alliance with Egypt. To do this the prophet makes use of two striking illustrations, the first of which is, that Yahweh would be no more alarmed at the number and power of their enemies than a fierce lion would be that was intent on his prey, and could not be frightened from it by any number of men that should come against him. The “point” of this comparison is, that as the lion that “was intent on his purpose” could not be frightened from it by numbers, so it would be with Yahweh, who…”

“For - Although you have done evil in sending to Egypt for help, yet the Lord himself will, of his own grace, give you that help which you do not deserve. Isaiah 31:5”

“31:4-9 This prophecy concerned God’s protection of Jerusalem and its rescue from the Assyrians.”

“Like as: Num 24:8, Num 24:9; Jer 50:44; Hos 11:10; Amo 3:8; Rev 5:5 noise: or, multitude so shall: Isa 10:16, Isa 12:6, Isa 37:35, Isa 37:36, Isa 42:13; Ch2 20:15; Psa 125:1, Psa 125:2; Zac 2:5; Zac 9:8, Zac 9:15, Zac 12:8, Zac 14:3 Isaiah 31:5”

“And things of this kind would occur. "For thus hath Jehovah spoken to me, As the lion growls, and the young lion over its prey, against which a whole crowd of shepherds is called together; he is not alarmed at their cry, and does not surrender at their noise; so will Jehovah of hosts descend to the campaign against the mountain of Zion, and against their hill." There is no other passage in the book of Isaiah which sounds so Homeric as this (vid., Il. xviii. 161, 162, xii. 299ff.). It has been misunderstood by Knobel, Umbreit, Drechsler, and others, who suppose על לצבּא to refer to Jehovah's purpose to fight for Jerusalem: Jehovah, who would no more allow His city to be taken from Him, than a…”