Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 27:8

8 In measure when it shooteth forth , thou wilt debate with it : he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east-wind .

With moderation, in certain Proportions which God meteth out and fitteth to their Strength.

When the Vine shooteth forth its luxuriant Branches, he, like the Vinedresser, cutteth them off, but so as not to spoil or destroy the Vine. Or, as divers Interpreters render it, and the Word properly and frequently signifies, in or by casting or dismissing or sending her or it out, or, when thou dost cast or send her out, to wit, out of her own Land, in which she was planted, into Captivity. He alludes to a Man that divorceth his Wife, which is expressed by this Word; but withal intimates, that this shall not be peremptory and perpetual, as other Divorces were.

God is said to debate or contend with Men, when he executeth his Judgments upon them, as Isa. 49. 25. & 57. 16. Amos 7. 4.

He mitigateth the severity of the Judgment. But, I must confess, I do not meet with any of the ancient or modern Translators that agree with ours in this Version: nor is the Hebrew Verb ever used, so far as I know, in the signification of staying or restraining: besides, our Translation takes no notice of the Hebrew Preposition. But this Word unquestionably signifies to remove or take away, as 2 Sam. 20. 13. Prov. 25. 4, 5. and thus most Interpreters understand it. And so the Place is very fitly thus rendred, be (or, when be, which Particle may easily be understood out of the former Clause, as is usual) removeth (understand either it, to wit, the Vine; or them, to wit, the Enemies of God and his People. And so this agreeth with the former Verse, in representing the different way of God's Proceeding against his People, and his and their Enemies. Either way there is onely a defect of the Pronoun, which I have before shewed in divers places to be very usual in the Hebrew Language) with or by his rough wind, by which sometimes Vines and other Trees are pulled up by the Roots, as that did 1 Kings 19. 11. whereby he understands his most terrible Judgments.

In the time when he sendeth forth his East-wind; which he mentions because that Wind in those Parts was most violent and most hurtful to Trees and Fruits, as hath been oft observed, and therefore is used to signifie the most grievous Calamities.

Marginal references: Job 23. 6. Jer. 10. 24. & 30. 11. & 46. 28.; Or, when thou sendest it forth.; Or, when he removeth it.