Lift up thy voice - That is, cry aloud from alarm and terror. The prophet here changes the manner of describing the advance of Sennacherib. He had described his rapid march from place to place Isaiah 10:28-29, and the consternation at Ramah and Gibeah; he now changes the mode of description, and calls on Gallim to lift up her voice of alarm at the approach of the army, so that it might reverberate among the hills, and be heard by neighboring towns.

Daughter - A term often applied to a beautiful city or town; see the note at Isaiah 1:8.

Gallim - This was a city of Benjamin, north of Jerusalem. It is mentioned only in this place and in 1 Samuel 25:44. No traces of this place are now to be found.

Cause it to be heard - That is, cause thy voice to be heard. Raise the cry of distress and alarm.

Unto Laish - There was a city of this name in the northern part of Palestine, in the bounds of the tribe of Dan; Judges 18:7, Judges 18:29. But it is contrary to all the circumstances of the case to suppose, that the prophet refers to a place in the north of Palestine. It was probably a small village in the neighborhood of Gallim. There are at present no traces of the village; in 1 Macc. 9:9, a city of this name is mentioned in the vicinity of Jerusalem, which is, doubtless, the one here referred to.

O poor Anathoth - Anathoth was a city of Benjamin Joshua 21:18, where Jeremiah was born; Jeremiah 1:1. 'Anata, which is, doubtless, the same place here intended, is situated on a broad ridge of land, at the distance of one hour and a quarter, or about three miles, from Jerusalem. Josephus describes Anathoth as twenty stadia distant from Jerusalem (Ant. x. 7, 3); and Eusebius and Jerome mention it as about three miles to the north of the city. 'Anata appears to have been once a walled town, and a place of strength. Portions of the wall still remain, built of large hewn stones, and apparently ancient, as are also the foundations of some of the houses. The houses are few, and the people are poor and miserable. From this point there is an extensive view over the whole eastern slope of the mountainous country of Benjamin, including all the valley of the Jordan, and the northern part of the Dead Sea. From this place, also, several of the villages here mentioned are visible. - Robinson's "Bib. Researches," ii. pp. 109-111.

The word "poor," applied to it here (עניה ‛ănı̂yâh) denotes afflicted, oppressed; and the language is that of pity, on account of the impending calamity, and is not designed to be descriptive of its ordinary state. The language in the Hebrew is a paranomasia, a species of writing quite common in the sacred writings; see Genesis 1:2; Genesis 4:12; Isaiah 28:10, Isaiah 28:13; Joel 1:15; Isaiah 32:7; Micah 1:10, Micah 1:14; Zephaniah 2:4; compare Stuart's "Heb. Gram." Ed. 1, Section 246. The figure abounded not only in the Hebrew but among the Orientals generally. Lowth reads this, 'Answer her, O Anathoth;' following in this the Syriac version, which reads the word rendered "poor" (עניה ‛ănı̂yâh) as a verb from ענה ‛ânâh, to answer, or respond, and supposes that the idea is retained of an "echo," or reverberation among the hills, from which he thinks "Anathoth," from the same verb, took its name. But the meaning of the Hebrew text is that given in our translation. The simple idea is that of neighboring cities and towns lifting up the voice of alarm; at the approach of the enemy.

Cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anothoth "Hearken unto her, O Laish; answer her, O Anathoth!" - I follow in this the Syriac Version. The prophet plainly alludes to the name of the place, and with a peculiar propriety, if it had its name frown its remarkable echo. "ענתות anathoth, responsiones: eadem ratio nominis, quae in בית ענת beith anath, locus echus; nam hodienum ejus rudera ostenduntur in valle, scil. in medio montium, ut referent Robertus in Itiner. p. 70, et Monconnysius, p. 301." Simonis Onomasticon Vet. Test. - L. Anathoth - Answers, replies; for the same reason that Bethany, בית ענת berth anath, had its name, the house of echo; the remains of which are still shown in the valley, i.e., among the mountains.

Lift up that voice, O daughter of Gallim,.... In a mournful and lamentable manner, and yet with such a clear loud voice, as to be heard afar off: the word is sometimes used for making a joyful sound, and of the neighing of horses. The inhabitants of Gallim are meant by its daughter; of this place was Phalti, who married Michal, Saul's daughter; very probably it was in the tribe of Benjamin. Jerom (f) makes mention of Accaron, a village, which was called Gallim.

Cause it to be heard unto Laish; if this was the place the Danites took, and called it Dan, it was on the northern border of Judea, in the furthermost part of the land; hence the phrase, from Dan to Beersheba; it was near to Caesarea or Paneas, from whence the river Jordan took its rise; and was a great way off, either of Gallim or Anathoth, for the voice of them to be heard.

O poor Anathoth! this was a city in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 21:18 it was the native place of the Prophet Jeremiah, Jeremiah 1:1 according to Josephus (g), it was twenty furlongs from Jerusalem; and, according to Jerom (h), three miles: it is called "poor", because it was but a poor mean village; or because it would now become so, through the ravages of the Assyrian army.

(f) De locis Hebraicis, fol. 92. D. (g) Antiqu. l. 13. c. 7. sect. 3.((h) Comment. in Hieremiam, l. 1. fol. 121. H. & l. 2. fol. 132. F. & l. 6. 161. C.

Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.

10:30 Daughter - Jerusalem was the mother city, and lesser towns are commonly called her daughters.

Lift...: Heb. Cry shrill with

30. daughter of Gallim-Gallim and her sons (see on [702]Isa 1:8; [703]2Ki 19:21). "Cry aloud in consternation."

Laish-not the town in Dan (Jud 18:7), but one of the same name near Jerusalem (1 Maccabees 9:9).

Anathoth-three miles from Jerusalem in Benjamin; the birthplace of Jeremiah. "Poor" is applied to it in pity, on account of the impending calamity. Others translate, Answer her, O Anathoth.

10:20-34 By our afflictions we may learn not to make creatures our confidence. Those only can with comfort stay upon God, who return to him in truth, not in pretence and profession only. God will justly bring this wasting away on a provoking people, but will graciously set bounds to it. It is against the mind and will of God, that his people, whatever happens, should give way to fear. God's anger against his people is but for a moment; and when that is turned from us, we need not fear the fury of man. The rod with which he corrected his people, shall not only be laid aside, but thrown into the fire. To encourage God's people, the prophet puts them in mind of what God had formerly done against the enemies of his church. God's people shall be delivered from the Assyrians. Some think it looks to the deliverance of the Jews out of their captivity; and further yet, to the redemption of believers from the tyranny of sin and Satan. And this, because of the anointing; for his people Israel's sake, the believers among them that had received the unction of Divine grace. And for the sake of the Messiah, the Anointed of God. Here is, ver. 28-34, a prophetical description of Sennacherib's march towards Jerusalem, when he threatened to destroy that city. Then the Lord, in whom Hezekiah trusted, cut down his army like the hewing of a forest. Let us apply what is here written, to like matters in other ages of the church of Christ. Because of the anointing of our great Redeemer, the yoke of every antichrist must be broken from off his church: and if our souls partake of the unction of the Holy Spirit, complete and eternal deliverances will be secured to us.