31. gate--that is, ye who throng the gate; the chief place of concourse
in a city.
from . . . north--Judea, north and east of Palestine.
smoke--from the signal-fire, whereby a hostile army was called
together; the Jews' signal-fire is meant here, the "pillar of cloud
and fire,"
(Ex 13:21;
Ne 9:19);
or else from the region devastated by fire [MAURER]. GESENIUS less probably
refers it to the cloud of dust raised by the invading army.
none . . . alone . . . in . . . appointed times--Rather, "There shall
not be a straggler among his (the enemy's) levies." The Jewish
host shall advance on Palestine in close array; none shall fall back or
lag from weariness
(Isa 5:26, 27),
[LOWTH]. MAURER thinks the
Hebrew will not bear the rendering "levies" or "armies." He
translates, "There is not one (of the Philistine watch guards) who will
remain alone (exposed to the enemy) at his post," through
fright. On "alone," compare
Ps 102:7;
Ho 8:9.
JFB.
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