The prophetic message outlines the path and triumph of the Assyrian king as he returns from Egypt to Jerusalem, detailing the clamor and direction of his approach to besiege the city. He indicates he will arrive at Aioth (or Aiath in some accounts), and due to his great urgency, he will bypass it swiftly, moving on to Magron, confident of his impending victory over that city, as he intends to store supplies in Mahmas, as if he plans to return promptly following its destruction. After securing his provisions, he would hastily move through and pause briefly at Gava; during this short rest for his weary troops, the nearby city of Ramah will be struck with fear, and Gava, formerly the city of Saul, will scatter in terror. The daughter of Gallim, referred to as beth gallim in Hebrew, will wail so loudly that her cries will be mistaken for the whinnying of horses. Therefore, you, Laisa, and you, humble Anathoth—which may be interpreted in various ways—pay close attention and attempt to resist the attack from the one who approaches, for the city of Medemen has already vacated its position. And you who inhabit the heights, known as Gevim, secured by your elevation, gather your strength, i.e., take up arms. He has only one more day to raise his hand over the city of Zion, whether with scorn or with anger, astonishment, and threats, for while the entire east has yielded to him, this small city dares to stand against his might. This summary has been drawn from the Hebrew text handed to us by the Hebrews. Let us now incorporate what church leaders propose regarding this passage based on the LXX version. When the yoke of the king of Assyria—mistakenly thought by some to be Babylon—has been removed from your shoulders or has decomposed, the fleeing Assyrian Sennacherib, along with the few who remain, shall reach Aggai, an addition not found in the Hebrew. His fear will be so great that he will not pause there but instead flee to Maggedo, which also lacks mention in the Scriptures. Consequently, as he struggles to flee, burdened by his heavy load, he will store supplies at Mahmas and hastily cross the valley, also absent from the Hebrew text, returning once more to Aggai, which is repeated in this context and is nonexistent in the Hebrew. The roar of his retreat will terrorize Ramah, the city of Saul, a claim which is inaccurate since the city of Saul is identified as Gaba in Hebrew. Afterward, he will come to Galdim; Laisa will be alerted, Anathoth will hear the news, and Medemen will tremble. Yet the residents of Gavin and those on the hills of Jerusalem—denoting all the prominent individuals—are called to bring comfort to Jerusalem. Not long after, but rather immediately, on the very day that the Assyrian approaches, they are urged to provide solace that they might remain steadfast and not flee in fear. This stands as the literal interpretation. However, someone who cannot discern the meanings of these misleading names per the LXX translation refers to an unbeliever, suggesting that as the plagues shall descend in the final days at the conclusion of the age, the mind of the mighty Assyrian prince will be driven to flee and seek refuge from God’s wrath in various manners and locations. As he retreats, the people of Gebim are called upon prophetically to provide comfort to the fleeing man and to advise him not to escape, but to stay on the path and await the mercy of God. They are not only tasked with comforting the fugitive but also with performing good works to lift the daughter of Zion from her tears, inviting her to salvation through repentance. These hills in Jerusalem are echoed in the concluding portion of this prophet wherein it is written, "Comfort my people; speak tenderly to Jerusalem" (Isaiah 40:1). This was said out of genuine necessity, attesting to the truth of the matter with no alternative to present.
THEOSIS