Isaiah 27:8 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

In measure when it shooteth forth Rather, In measure when thou sendest it forth, as בסאסאה בשׁלחה, may be properly rendered. The words seem to be addressed by the prophet to God, and to signify that God would observe a measure in punishing the Jewish people, and not go beyond a certain degree; and that he then would send them forth again, namely, from captivity: from which God, after they had suffered sufficient correction, would deliver them by a singular providence. Thou wilt debate, or contend with it God is said to debate or contend with men, when he executes his judgments upon them. But תריבנה may be rendered, Thou wilt contend for it, that is, undertake its cause and defend it. This is still spoken of God's singular protection of the Jews, when they returned from Babylon. He stayeth his rough wind He mitigates the severity of the judgment; in the day of the east wind In the time when he sendeth forth his east wind, that is, very grievous and destructive calamities. The cast wind, being a dry, blasting wind, and the most violent and destructive of all others in those parts of the world, is frequently put, in the Scriptures, for the calamities of war, and such like wasting judgments: see Jeremiah 4:11-12; Ezekiel 17:10; and Ezekiel 19:12; Hosea 13:15. Here it seems to be mentioned with a reference to the shooting forth of the branches of the vine, spoken of in the foregoing words, that wind being very prejudicial to tender shoots.