Assyria's Advance on Jerusalem (Isaiah 10:28-32).
We now have a very vivid representation of the onward march of Assyria towards Jerusalem as he approached Hezekiah's Jerusalem.
Analysis.
a He has come to Aiath, he has passed through Migron, at Michmash he lays up his baggage (Isaiah 10:28).
b They are gone over the pass, they have taken up their lodging at Geba, Ramah trembles, Gibeah of Saul is fled (Isaiah 10:29).
c Cry aloud with your voice, O daughter of Gallim (Isaiah 10:30 a).
c Listen, O Laisha, O you poor Anathoth (Isaiah 10:30 b).
b Madmenah is a fugitive, the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves together to flee (Isaiah 10:31).
a This very day will he stop at Nob. He is shaking his hand at the mount of the daughter of Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem (Isaiah 10:32 b).
In ‘a' we have the description of the establishment of his base camp, and in the parallel his establishment at Nob and his shaking of his head over Jerusalem. In ‘b' fleeing is mentioned and reference made to Geba, and Gibeah associated with Saul, and in the parallel again a description of fleeing, and reference made to Gebim. In ‘c' certain towns are addressed and exhorted.
‘He has come to Aiath,
He has passed through Migron,
At Michmash he lays up his baggage,
They are gone over the pass,
They have taken up their lodging at Geba,
Ramah trembles,
Gibeah of Saul is fled.
Cry aloud with your voice, O daughter of Gallim,
Listen, O Laisha, O you poor Anathoth.
Madmenah is a fugitive,
The inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves together to flee,
This very day will he stop at Nob.
He is shaking his hand at the mount of the daughter of Zion,
At the hill of Jerusalem.'
The slow, merciless advance of the king of Assyria, God's rod of chastisement is now described. Every name mentioned represents a tragedy of slaying and destruction. The people quail at his advance, and they are cruelly brushed aside, crushed and slaughtered. He has come to Aiath, (only fifteen miles to go), more slaughter. He has passed through Mignon, he establishes his supply centre at Michmash. (indicating that his presence is to be permanent). He makes his way through the pass there, probably with much fierce fighting, and then descends into the valley, and then up the slope to settle his camp at Geba in order to pacify the surrounding area. (Now only six miles to go). The nearby fortress town of Ramah trembles - and waits in terror. Gibeah, another fortress town, has been evacuated. The Assyrians fan out. Those at Gallim cry out in terror, at Laisha they listen in fear for his approach, at Madmenah they become fugitives who are hunted down, and from Gebim they stream as refugees to the mountains. Judah is in turmoil and is being devastated. That very day he stops at Nob. And from there the next step is Jerusalem, which he can look down on and survey from the heights. So Judah is not getting off lightly.
‘He is shaking his hand at the mount of the daughter of Zion, at the hill of Jerusalem.' At last he has reached his objective. All the killing, and the murder, and the mayhem has had this purpose in mind. Jerusalem is at last within his grasp. He shakes his fist at her. He is convinced that like all before her she will soon capitulate. This is the very hill of Jerusalem on which he has set his sights. But he does not realise that he is shaking his fist at Yahweh's daughter, Zion (Isaiah 1:8), and that within Jerusalem is Mount Zion. He will soon learn that his battle with Yahweh has just begun.