Spoken ironically. Make all thy preparations, they will be in vain.

Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself,.... All warlike stores and provisions: this is ironically said; and suggests that he would do so, and yet all would be in vain, and to no purpose:

thou and all thy company, that are assembled unto thee; or all thine armies, as the Targum, gathered out of his dominions, and made up of his auxiliaries and allies; let them all be furnished with arms, and everything proper for the expedition designed:

and be thou a guard unto them; the general of them; let them observe and obey thy word of command; guide and direct, guard and protect them in their march; and take care of them when entered the land of Judea, that they are not exposed to any unnecessary danger, or cut off by any stratagem or ambush: this is also sarcastically said; signifying that let him use all the care and caution that a wise and prudent general can do, yet he and his army should perish.

Be thou prepared, and {e} prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled to thee, and be thou a guard to them.

(e) Signifying that all the people of the world would assemble themselves against the Church and Christ their head.

38:7 Be thou prepared - God and the church deride this mighty preparation.

7. Irony. Prepare thee and all thine with all needful accoutrements for war-that ye may perish together.

be . a guard unto them-that is, if thou canst.

38:1-13 These events will be in the latter days. It is supposed these enemies will come together to invade the land of Judea, and God will defeat them. God not only sees who are now the enemies of his church, but he foresees who will be so, and lets them know by his word that he is against them; though they join together, the wicked shall not be unpunished.