Isa 21:1, Zec 9:14 | JFB | e4.org | 1. desert —the champaign between Babylon and Persia; it was once a desert, and it was to become so again. of the sea —The plain was covered with the water of the Euphrates like a "sea" ( ; so , the Nile), until Semiramis raised great dams against it. Cyrus removed these dykes, and so converted the whole country again into a vast desert marsh. whirlwinds in the south — ( ). The south wind comes upon Babylon from the deserts of Arabia, and its violence is the greater from its course being unbroken along the plain ( ). desert —the plain between Babylon and Persia. terrible land —Media; to guard against which was the object of Nitocris' great works [HERODOTUS , 1.185]. Compare as to "terrible" applied to a wilderness, as being full of unknown dangers, .

‏ Isaiah 21:1

1. desert—the champaign between Babylon and Persia; it was once a desert, and it was to become so again.

of the sea—The plain was covered with the water of the Euphrates like a "sea" (Jer 51:13, 36; so Isa 11:15, the Nile), until Semiramis raised great dams against it. Cyrus removed these dykes, and so converted the whole country again into a vast desert marsh.

whirlwinds in the south— (Job 37:9; Zec 9:14). The south wind comes upon Babylon from the deserts of Arabia, and its violence is the greater from its course being unbroken along the plain (Job 1:19).

desert—the plain between Babylon and Persia.

terrible land—Media; to guard against which was the object of Nitocris' great works [HERODOTUS, 1.185]. Compare as to "terrible" applied to a wilderness, as being full of unknown dangers, De 1:29.

‏ Zechariah 9:14

14. Another image: "Jehovah shall be seen (conspicuously manifesting His power) over them" (that is, in behalf of the Jews and against their foes), as formerly He appeared in a cloud over the Israelites against the Egyptians (Ex 14:19, 24).

his arrow . . . as . . . lightning—flashing forth instantaneous destruction to the foe (Ps 18:14).

blow . . . trumpet—to summon and incite His people to battle for the destruction of their foe.

go with whirlwinds of the south—that is, go forth in the most furious storm, such as is one from the south (Isa 21:1). Alluding, perhaps, to Jehovah's ancient miracles at Sinai coming "from Teman" ("the south," in the Margin).