Isaiah 33:8

WEB

The highways are desolate. The traveling man ceases. The covenant is broken. He has despised the cities. He doesn't regard man.

KJV

The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.

Commentary

The highways lie waste,.... No man walking in them, for fear of the enemy; "the ways of Zion", which are said to "mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts", Lam 1:4 none daring to attend the ministry of the word and ordinances; see Isa 35:8 , the wayfaring man ceaseth; or, "the traveller re sts" (z); or stops; he does not proceed on his journey; a stop is put to a religious course and conversation; there is an entire cessation of religious worship; a sabbath is kept, but not a religious one; he that would walk in Zion's ways is forbid, and is obliged to sit still: he hath broken the covenant; some, as Kimchi's father, interpret this of the Jews' complaining that God had broken his covenant with them, as in Psa 89:39 but most of Sennacherib's breaking his covenant with Hezekiah, Kg2 18:14 rather this is to be understood of antichrist, whose doctrine is, that faith is not to be kept with heretics, and which will abundantly appear at this distressing time: he hath despised the cities; as Sennacherib did the fenced cities of Judah; he despised their fortifications, and easily took them, and treated the inhabitants with disdain and contempt; and so will the reformed Protestant cities and countries be invaded, seized upon, and insulted, by the Romish antichrist: he regardeth no man; so as to keep covenant with them, have compassion on them, and spare them, he fearing neither God nor man. (z) "cessaverat viator", Junius & Tremellius; "desiit viator", Cocceius.