Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. NEVERTHELESS, THE DIMNESS (SHALL)... [ Continue Reading ]
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. THE PEOPLE THAT WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT - the whole nation, Judah and Israel. THEY THAT DWELL IN THE LAND OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH -... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. THOU HAST MULTIPLIED THE NATION - primarily, the rapid increase of Israelites after the return from Babylon: more fully the rapid sprea... [ Continue Reading ]
For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. FOR THOU HAST BROKEN THE YOKE OF HIS BURDEN - The occasion of the "joy," the deliverance not only of Ahaz and Judah from the Assyrian tribute (), and of Israel's Ten tri... [ Continue Reading ]
For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. FOR EVERY BATTLE OF THE WARRIOR (IS) WITH CONFUSED NOISE, AND GARMENTS ROLLED IN BLOOD; BUT (THIS) SHALL BE WITH BURNING (AND) FUEL OF FIRE - or else, 'every grea... [ Continue Reading ]
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. FOR - the ground of these great expectations. UNTO US - for the benefit of the Je... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. OF THE INCREASE OF (HIS) GOVERNMENT A... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. THE LORD SENT A WORD INTO JACOB - (Isaiah 9:8), the first strophe. INTO JACOB ... - against the Ten tribes (Lowth). AND IT HATH LIGHTED UPON ISRAEL - fallen from heaven by divine revelation ().... [ Continue Reading ]
And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, ALL THE PEOPLE SHALL KNOW - to their cost: experimentally (). EPHRAIM, AND THE INHABITANTS OF SAMARIA - the capital of Ephraim (cf. as to the phrase, ).... [ Continue Reading ]
The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. THE BRICKS ARE FALLEN DOWN. In the East bricks are generally sun-dried, and therefore soon dissolved by rain. Granting, say the Ephraimites to the prophet's threat, th... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; THEREFORE THE LORD SHALL SET UP THE ADVERSARIES OF REZIN AGAINST HIM - the Assyrians, who shall first attack Damascus, shall next advance "against him" (Ephraim.) This is the punishment of Ephrai... [ Continue Reading ]
The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. THE SYRIANS BEFORE - the Syrians on the Northeast. Though now allies of Ephraim, after Rezin's death they shall join the As... [ Continue Reading ]
For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. FOR THE PEOPLE TURNETH NOT UNTO HIM THAT SMITETH THEM, NEITHER DO THEY SEEK THE LORD OF HOSTS - the design of God's chastisements. Not fulfilled in their case: a new cause for punishment (; ). So , "in... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. HEAD AND TAIL - proverbial for the highest and lowest (; ). BRANCH AND RUSH - another image for the same thought (). The branch is elevated on the top of the tree; the rush is coarse and low.... [ Continue Reading ]
The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. THE ANCIENT - the older. HONOURABLE - the man of rank. THE PROPHET THAT TEACHETH LIES, HE (IS) THE TAIL. There were many such in Samaria (; ; cf. as to "tail," ).... [ Continue Reading ]
For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. FOR THE LEADERS ... - see margin, 'they that call them blessed,' and note, .... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. THEREFORE THE LORD SHAL... [ Continue Reading ]
For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. FOR WICKEDNESS BURNETH AS THE FIRE - maketh consumption, not only spreading rapidly, but also consuming like fire. sin is... [ Continue Reading ]
Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. THROUGH THE WRATH OF THE LORD OF HOSTS IS THE LAND DARKENED - namely, with smoke (Isaiah 9:18). The Septuagint and Chaldaic render it, is burnt up; so Mau... [ Continue Reading ]
And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: AND HE SHALL SNATCH ON THE RIGHT HAND, AND BE HUNGRY - not literally. The Hebrew for snatch ( gaazar (H1504)) means to cut.... [ Continue Reading ]
Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. MANASSEH, EPHRAIM; AND EPHRAIM, MANASSEH - the two sons of Joseph. So closely united as to form between them but one tribe; but now... [ Continue Reading ]