Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 10:28

"He is come to Aiath, he is passed through Migron; at Michmash he layeth up his baggage;" — Isaiah 10:28 (ASV)

He is come to Aiath - These verses (Isaiah 10:28–32) contain a description of the march of Sennacherib's army as he approached Jerusalem to invest it. The description is expressed with great beauty.

It is rapid and hurried, like an account someone alarmed by an enemy's sudden and near approach would give. It's as if, while the narrator states the invader has arrived at one place, he has already reached another; or, as if one messenger says he has come to one place, another answers that he is still nearer, and a third, that he is nearer still, producing universal consternation. The prophet speaks of this as if he saw it (compare the note at Isaiah 1:0): as if, with a glance of the eye, he sees Sennacherib advancing rapidly to Jerusalem.

The general course of this march is from the northeast to the southwest toward Jerusalem, and it is still possible to follow the route by the names of the places mentioned here, which remain today.

All the places are in the vicinity of Jerusalem, and this shows how much his rapid approach was suited to cause alarm. The name עית ‛ayâth does not occur elsewhere; but עי ‛ay is often mentioned, and עיא ‛ayâ' is found in Nehemiah 11:31. Doubtless, the same city is meant.

It was situated near Bethel to the east (Joshua 7:2). It was at this place that Joshua was repulsed on account of the sin of Achaz, though the city was afterward taken by Joshua, the king seized and hanged, and the city destroyed. It was afterward rebuilt and is often mentioned (Ezra 2:28; Nehemiah 7:32).

It is called by the Septuagint, Ἀγγαι Angai; and by Josephus, “Aina.” In the time of Eusebius and Jerome, its site and scanty ruins were still pointed out, not far from Bethel toward the east. The name, however, has now completely perished, and no trace of the place remains today.

It is probable that it was near the modern Deir Diwan, about three miles to the east of Bethel (see Robinson’s “Biblical Researches,” vol. II, pp. 119, 312, 313).

He is passed to Migron - That is, he does not remain at Aiath but is advancing rapidly toward Jerusalem. This place is mentioned in 1 Samuel 14:2, from which it appears that it was near Gibeah and was in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin, to the southwest of Ai and Bethel. No trace of this place remains today.

At Michmash - This was a town within the tribe of Ephraim, on the border of Benjamin (Ezra 2:27; Nehemiah 7:31). This place is now called Mukhmas and is situated on a slope or low ridge of land between two small wadis, or watercourses. It is now desolate but bears the marks of having been a much larger and stronger place than the other towns in the neighborhood. There are many foundations of hewn stones, and some columns are lying among them. It is about nine miles to the northeast of Jerusalem, and in the immediate neighborhood of Gibeah and Ramah (see Robinson’s “Biblical Researches,” vol. II, p. 117). In the time of Eusebius, it was a large village (see “Onomasticon,” art. “Machmas”).

He hath laid up his carriages - Hebrew, ‘He has deposited his weapons.’ The word rendered “has laid up” - יפקיד yap^eqı̂yd - may possibly mean, “he reviewed,” or he took an account of; that is, he made that the place of review preparatory to his attack on Jerusalem. Jerome says that the passage means that he had such confidence of taking Jerusalem that he deposited his armor at Michmash, as being unnecessary in the siege of Jerusalem. I think, however, that the passage simply means that he had made Michmash one of his stations to which he had come, and that the expression ‘he has deposited his armor there,’ denotes merely that he had come there as one of his stations and had pitched his camp in that place on the way to Jerusalem.

The English word “carriage” formerly meant “that which is carried”—baggage, vessels, furniture, etc. (Webster). In this sense, it is used in this place and also in 1 Samuel 17:22 and Acts 21:15.