Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Isaiah 10:9
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
[Is] not Calno as Carchemish? &c.] Jarchi’s note is, “as the children of Carchemish are princes and rulers, so are the children of Calno;” as if this was giving an instance of the grandeur of his subjects; but much better is the Targum, “as Carchemish is subdued before me, shall not Calno be so?” as I or my ancestors have conquered the one, it is as easy for me to conquer the other; or as sure as the one is subject to me, so sure shall the other be; for Carchemish was a city belonging to the Assyrians, situated upon the river Euphrates, (<143520>2 Chronicles 35:20 <244602>Jeremiah 46:2) called by Ammianusf180 Circusium; the Syriac version calls it Barchemosh; and Calno is the same with Calneh in the land of Shinar, a city built by Nimrod, (<011010>Genesis 10:10 <300602>Amos 6:2) in the Septuagint version it is called Chalane, and it is added, “where the tower was built;” from whence the country, called by Plinyf181 Chalonitis, had its name, the chief city of which was Ctesiphon, thought to be the same with Calneh. [Is] not Hamath as Arphad? Hamath and Arphad were both cities conquered by the Assyrians; (see <121834>2 Kings 18:34) and are both mentioned along with Damascus, (<244923>Jeremiah 49:23). [Is] not Samaria as Damascus? Damascus was the metropolis of Syria, and was taken by the Assyrians; and Samaria was the metropolis of Ephraim, or the ten tribes; (see <230708>Isaiah 7:8,9) and was as easy to be taken as Damascus was. The Targum is, “as Arphad is delivered into my hands, shall not Hamath be so? As I have done to Damascus, so will I do to Samaria.”
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