A roll — Or, a great volume, because the prophecy to be written in it was large, and God would have it written in large and legible characters. Pen — With such a pen as writers use. Concerning — Concerning that thing which is signified by the name of the child, which is here mentioned by way of anti... [ Continue Reading ]
Prophetess — To his own wife, so called, because the wife of a prophet.... [ Continue Reading ]
To cry — To speak and to know his parents; which is within the space of two years. And his agrees with the other prophecy, Isaiah 7:16. Before the child shall know to refuse the evil and chuse the good, which requires a longer time than to distinguish his parents, and suits well to Shear — Jashub, w... [ Continue Reading ]
This people — The people of Israel, of whom he last spake, who rejoiced not only in their own king, but also in the assistance of so powerful an ally as Rezin. Shiloah — That small brook which ran by Jerusalem. Hereby he understands the munitions and strength of the Jews, which their enemies derided... [ Continue Reading ]
The river — Of Euphrates, called the river, for its eminent greatness; whereby he understands the Assyrian forces. Glory — His numerous and puissant army. He — This great river shall overflow its own proper channels. That is, this great monarch shall enlarge his dominions, and add the lands of Syria... [ Continue Reading ]
Reach — So that they shall be in great danger of being desired. He persists in the metaphor of a river swelling so high as to reach to a man's neck, and be ready to overwhelm him. Such was the danger of Judah's land, when Sennacherib took all the fenced cities of Judah, 2 Kings 18:13, and sent his a... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye people — Syrians and Israelites. All ye — Whosoever you be, who conspire against Immanuel's land. Gird — Prepare yourselves for war. Broken — This is repeated for the greater assurance of the thing, and the comfort of God's people.... [ Continue Reading ]
Spake — With a vehement and more than ordinary inspiration. In the way — Of the generality of the people of Judah; whose eminent danger and calamity he foretells.... [ Continue Reading ]
Say not — Thou Isaiah, and my children, do not consent to this confederacy with the king of Assyria. Their fear — That thing which they fear, that, if they do not call in the Assyrian succours, they shall be destroyed by those two potent kings.... [ Continue Reading ]
Sanctify — Give him the glory of his power, and goodness, and faithfulness, by trusting to his promises. Let him — Let God, and not the kings of Syria and Israel be the object of your fear.... [ Continue Reading ]
Sanctuary — A sure refuge to all that truly fear him, and rely upon him. A stone — An occasion of sin and ruin, at whom they will take offence and stumble, so as to fall and be broken. To both — To the two kingdoms, that of the ten tribes, and that of the two tribes. Jerusalem — Which are distinctly... [ Continue Reading ]
Many — Not all; for there shall be a remnant, as was foretold, Isaiah 4:2, Isaiah 6:13. Stumble — At that stone or rock, mentioned, Isaiah 8:14. This was accomplished at the coming of the Messiah, whom the Jews rejected to their own destruction.... [ Continue Reading ]
The testimony — By the testimony and the law or doctrine, he understands one and the same thing, as he doth also, Isaiah 8:20, the word of God, and especially that which is the main scope thereof, the doctrine of the Messiah, which, though now professed by all the Israelites, shall be disowned by th... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet — Yet, notwithstanding this dreadful prophecy concerning the rejection of Israel. Wait — I will cast my care upon him, and expect the accomplishment of his promise, in sending the Messiah, and in conferring upon me and all believing Israelites all his mercies and blessings. Hideth — That now wit... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold — These words are literally spoken by Isaiah concerning himself, but mystically concerning Christ; and therefore they are fitly ascribed to Christ, Hebrews 2:13. The children — His spiritual children, whom he had either begotten or brought up by his ministry. Wonders — Are a gazing flock, for... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they — The Israelites, who are fallen from God, into superstition and idolatry. You — My children, whom the prophet arms against the common temptation. Mutter — That speak with a low voice, as these two words signify, which they affected to do, speaking rather inwardly in their bellies, tha... [ Continue Reading ]
To the law — Let this dispute between you and them be determined by God's word, which is here and in many other places called the law, to signify their obligation to believe and obey it; and the testimony, because it is a witness between God and man, of God's will, and of man's duty. They — Your ant... [ Continue Reading ]
It — Their own land. Hungry — Sorely distressed, and destitute of food, and all necessaries. Their king — Either because he doth not relieve them; or because by his foolish counsels, he brought them into these miseries. God — Their idol, to whom they trusted, and whom they now find unable to help th... [ Continue Reading ]
Earth — Finding no help from heaven, they turn their eyes downward, looking hither and thither for comfort.... [ Continue Reading ]