Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 31:9

9. And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign , saith the LORD, whose fire is in Zion , and his furnace in Ierusalem .

Sennacherib shall flee away, with all speed, from Ierusalem, to his strong City of Nineveh, Isa. 37. 37. Or, as it is in the Margent, and as the Words lie in the Hebrew Text, his rock (i. e. his Strength, the greatest Champions of his Army, to whom he trusted) shall pass away (shall flee with all speed from Ierusalem) for fear, lest the Sword of the destroying Angel should overtake them.

Either 1. of any Ensign. This dreadful Judgment shall strike them with such a Terror, that they shall not dare to look any Enemy in the Face. Or 2. of the Lord's Ensign, which He hath lifted up against them.

So the Sence is, Either 1. whose Fire is continually burning upon the Altar in Zion; which signifies his Presence and Residence there. Or rather 2. who is, and will appear to be in Zion, like a Fire to defend his People, and to consume their Enemies; for which end God promiseth, That He would be u[illegible: 1+ letters]o Ierusalem a wall of fire round about, Zech. 2. 5. And that He would make the Governours of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood, and like a Torch of fire in a sheaf; and that they should devour all the people round about. Possibly these, and the following Words, may be thus rendred, and that very agreeable to the Hebrew words, Who will be a fire (to wit, a consuming Fire) to him (to the King of Assyria, of whom he is here speaking) in Zion (from whence he will send forth that Fire which shall consume his Army: Or, for Zion, for Zion's sake; for the Prefix here rendred in, frequently signifies for, as hath been proved) and a furnace to him in or for Ierusalem. But this I onely propose, leaving it to the Judgment of the intelligent Reader.

The same thing repeated in other Words.

Marginal references: Heb. his rock shall pass away for fear.; Or, his strength.