Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
The times of purity and happiness which shall follow the defeat of the enemies of Yahweh's people (Isaiah 32:1-8). Here the prophet passes from the type, Sennacherib's defeat and the establishment of Hezekiah's kingdom, to the establishment of Messiah's kingdom, on the overthrow of Antichrist. The period of wrath before that happy state (Isaiah 32:9-14). The assurance of the final prosperity of the Church is repeated (Isaiah 32:15-20).
Behold a king - not Hezekiah, who was already on the throne, whereas a future time is contemplated. If he be meant at all, it can only be as a type of Messiah the King, to whom alone the language fully applicable (Hosea 3:5; Zechariah 9:9: see Isaiah 11:3-5 notes). The kingdom shall be transferred from the world-kings, who have exercised their power against God, instead of for God, to the rightful King of kings (Ezekiel 21:27; Daniel 7:13-14).
And princes shall rule in judgment - subordinate to the King: referring to all in authority under Christ in the coming kingdom on earth; e.g., the apostles, etc. (Luke 22:30; 1 Corinthians 6:2; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 2:26-27; Revelation 3:21.) The Chaldaic Targum paraphrases here, 'and the righteous, that they may take just vengeance on the peoples, shall be exalted to dignity.'