Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 14:31

31 Howl, O gate , cry, O city , thou whole Palestina art dissolved : for there shall come from the North a smoke , and none shall be alone in his appointed times .

The gate is put either, 1. Metaphorically, for the People passing through the Gates, or for the Magistrates and others who used to meet in the Gate for Judgment▪ or upon other Occasions; or, 2. Synechdochically, for the City, as gates are commonly put, as Ier. 22. 19. and as it is explained in the next Words.

City is here put collectively for their Cities, of which see 1 Sam. 6. 17.

Heb. melted. Which may be understood either, 1▪ of the fainting of their Spirits and Courage, as Exod. 15. 15. I[illegible: 1+ letters]s. 2. 9, 24, &c. or, 2. of the Dissolution of their State.

Either, 1. from Iudea▪ which lay Northward from some part of the Philistins Land. But in truth Iudea lay more East than North from Iudah, and therefore the Ph[illegible: 1+ letters] are said to be on the west, Isa. 11. 14. and never, so far as I remember, on the North: Or, 2. from Chaldaea, as may be gathered, 1. from the Scripture use of this Phrase, which generally designs that Country, as Ier. 1. 14, 15. & 6. 1, 22. &c. 2. from Ier. 47. where Destruction is threatned to the Philistins from the North, v. 2. which all understand of the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar. And whereas it is speciously objected, That this suits not with the next Verse, which speaks of Zions Safety at the time of this Destruction of the Philistins, whereas Zion and the Land and People of Iudah were destroyed together with the Philistins by Nebuchadnezzar; I humbly conceive it may be answered, That that Verse is added to express the far-differing Condition of God's People and of the Philistins in the Events of that Babylonian War; and that whereas the Philistins should be irrecoverably and eternally destroyed thereby, and no Remnant of them should be left, as was said v. 30. God's People, though they should be sorely scourged, and carried into Captivity, yet they should be strangely preserved, and after some years delivered, and restored to their own Land and Temple; whereby it would appear, that Zion stood upon a sure Foundation, and, albeit it was grievously shaken, yet it could not be utterly and finally overthrown.

A grievous Judgment and Calamity, which is oft signified by smoke, as Gen. 15. 17. Deut. 29. 20. I[illegible: 1+ letters]el 2. 30. either because Smoke is generally accompanied with Fire, or because it causeth a great Darkness in the Air; for Afflictions are frequently described under the names of fire and darkness.

When God's appointed time shall come for the execution of this Judgment, not one Person of all that numerous Army, which is signified by the smoke last mentioned, shall retire and desert his Colours, or lag behind the rest; But they shall march with great unanimity and alacrity, and none of them shall withdraw his hand till the Work be finished, till the Philistins be utterly destroyed.

Marginal references: Or, he shall not be alone.; Or, assemblies.