In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.
In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria - rather, an answer to the supposed question of Zion, When shall my walls be built? The day (of thy walls being built) is the day when there shall come to thee,' or 'That is the day when there shall come to thee he (i:e., many) from Assyria,' etc. (Ludovicus de Dieu). The Assyrians (including the Babylonians) who spoiled thee shall come.
And from the fortified cities - rather, to suit the parallelism, 'from Assyria even to Egypt.' [Read, with fifteen manuscripts, for the Hebrew letter resh (r) the similar Hebrew letter, daleth (d): wª`ªdeey for wª`ªreey]. The English version, "And from the fortified cities, and from the fortress," is palpable tautology. ( maatsowr (H4692) may be so translated, being the same as Mizraim or Egypt.) So Assyria and Egypt are contrasted in Isaiah 19:23 (Maurer). Calvin agrees with the English version, 'from all fortified cities,' as Babylon, Borsippa, etc. (Grotius). I prefer Maurer's view.
From the fortress, even to the river - `from Egypt even to the river' Euphrates (answering in parallelism to "Assyria"). (Maurer.) Compare Isaiah 11:15-16; Isaiah 19:23-25; Isaiah 27:13; Hosea 11:11; Zechariah 10:10.