Isaiah 10:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The prophetic voice illustrates the path and victory of the Assyrian king as he returns from Egypt to lay siege to Jerusalem, detailing the noise of his approach and his route. He declares he will first arrive at Aioth (or Aiath), and with great urgency, he will move swiftly past to Magron. Confident of conquering that city, he will store his supplies in Mahmas, as if intending to return shortly after its fall. Once he has secured his provisions, he will quickly pass through and pause briefly at Gava. While resting his weary forces, the neighboring city of Ramah will be filled with fear, leading to Gava, once Saul’s city, fleeing in panic. The daughter of Gallim, known in Hebrew as Beth Gallim, will cry out so sorrowfully that her weeping will resemble the sounds of horse neighing. Therefore, you, Laisa, and you, O humble Anathoth—this name can be interpreted in several ways—pay close attention and strive to resist the onslaught of the one approaching, for the city of Medemen has already shifted from its place. And those who dwell in the elevated regions, referring to Gevim, fortified by their heights, should fortify themselves; take up arms. Only one more day remains for him to raise his hand and shake it over the city of Zion, whether in scorn and disdain or in wrath, astonishment, and threat, feeling indignant that such a minor city has the audacity to stand against his might when the entire east has yielded to him. This summary is derived from the Hebrew text, as passed down from the Hebrews. Now let us also incorporate the interpretations provided by Church leaders regarding this passage according to the Septuagint. When the burdensome yoke of the Assyrian king—or, as some incorrectly assert, of Babylon—is lifted from your shoulders, or begins to decay, the fleeing Assyrian Sennacherib will arrive at Aggai, a name not found in the Hebrew text. The terror of his flight will be so profound that he will not dare stop there, continuing instead to Mageddo, which also does not appear in the Scriptures. As he struggles to flee due to his heavy loads, he will deposit his supplies at Mahmas, marching quickly across the valley, which is also absent from the Hebrew account, before returning to Aggai, mentioned here twice and not found in the Hebrew texts. At the uproar of his flight, Ramah, the city of Saul, will tremble, which is evidently inaccurate, as the city of Saul is referred to as Gaba in the Hebrew. He will then arrive at Galdim, and Laisa will hear of it, along with Anathoth, while Medemen will be struck with fear. The occupants of Gavin and the hills around Jerusalem, representing all the prominent figures, are called to comfort Jerusalem—not at some distant time, but right now, on the very day that the Assyrian approaches—so they may remain firm, rather than fleeing in dread. This interpretation aligns with a straightforward understanding. Should anyone struggle to locate the meanings of the obscure names in the Septuagint version, or if they claim to find no equivalent names in the sacred Hebrew text, they may refer to a nonbeliever who mentions that in the final days of the world, the mind of the mighty Assyrian prince will flee and seek refuge from God's wrath in various locations and manners. As he makes his escape, the inhabitants of Gebim are prophetically called to comfort the fugitive and admonish him not to flee, but to stay the course and await God's mercy. They are exhorted not only to provide comfort but also to uplift the daughter of Zion from her sorrow and invite her to salvation through repentance. It is these hills surrounding Jerusalem that we read about in the latter part of this prophet, where it is said: comfort my people; speak tenderly to the heart of Jerusalem (Isaiah 40:1). This message was conveyed because, in light of the truth of the matter, he could assert nothing else.