John Gill Commentary Isaiah 8:9

"Make an uproar, O ye peoples, and be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces." — Isaiah 8:9 (ASV)

Associate yourselves, O you people
Both of Syria and Israel, whose two kings were confederate against Judah:

and you shall be broken in pieces; as the kingdom of Syria was by Tilgathpilneser quickly after this, (2 Kings 16:9) and the kingdom of Ephraim or Israel by Shalmaneser, (2 Kings 17:6) (Isaiah 8:8):

and give ear, all you of far countries; the Assyrians, and the nations that belonged to them, who were more remote from Judea:

gird yourselves; for a long and tedious march, and for war; it may signify the putting on of their whole armour; for, as Pausanius ^F19 says, the ancients used to call putting on of armour, girding:

and you shall be broken in pieces: as the Assyrian army was, which came up against Jerusalem in Hezekiah's time, (2 Kings 19:35):

gird yourselves, and you shall be broken in pieces; this is repeated for confirmation sake, to denote the certainty of it.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F19: Boeotica sive, l. 9. p. 567.