Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 10:24

"Therefore thus saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian, though he smite thee with the rod, and lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt." — Isaiah 10:24 (ASV)

Therefore ... - In this verse the prophet returns to the main subject of this prophecy, which is to comfort the people of Jerusalem with the assurance that the army of the Assyrian would be destroyed.

O my people - This is an expression of tenderness, showing that God regarded them as his children. Despite the judgments that he would bring upon them for their sins, in the midst of severe judgments God speaks the language of tenderness; and, even when he punishes, he has towards his people the feelings of a father (Hebrews 12:5–11).

That dwells in Zion - Literally, in Mount Zion, but here taken for the whole city of Jerusalem; see the note at Isaiah 1:8.

Be not afraid ... - For his course shall be arrested, and he shall be repelled and punished (Isaiah 10:25–27).

He shall smite thee - He shall, indeed, smite you, but shall not utterly destroy you.

And shall lift up his staff - Note Isaiah 10:5. The staff here is regarded as an instrument of punishment (compare the note at Isaiah 9:4); and the sense is, that by his invasion, and by his exactions, he would oppress and punish the nation.

After the manner of Egypt - Hebrew, ‘In the way of Egypt.’ Some interpreters have supposed that this means that Sennacherib would oppress and afflict the Jews as he went down to Egypt, or on his way there to attack the Egyptians. But the more correct interpretation is that which is expressed in our translation - “after the manner of Egypt.” That is, the nature of his oppressions shall be like those which the Egyptians under Pharaoh inflicted on the Jews. There are two ideas evidently implied here.

1. That the oppression would be heavy and severe. Those that their fathers experienced in Egypt were exceedingly burdensome and cruel. So it would be in the calamities that the Assyrian would bring upon them.
2. Their fathers had been delivered from the oppressions of the Egyptians. And so it would be now. The Assyrian would oppress them, but God would deliver and save them. The phrase, ‘in the way of,’ is used to denote “after the manner of,” or, as an example, in Amos 4:10, I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt; (Hebrew: ‘In the way of Egypt’).