Isaiah 7:25

a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings i.e. "silver shekels." Schrader reckons the silver shekel as equal to about half-a-crown of our money, which would make the price of the vineyard about £125. But the estimate neglects the important element of variation in the purchasing power of money. The traveller Burckhardt, who found it the custom in Syria to estimate the value of a vineyard according to the number of vines, tells us that good vines are valued at less than three pence each.

And on all hills … mattock And as for all the hills that used to be hoed with the mattock. Such hills were the best sites for vineyards (ch. Isaiah 5:2).

there shall not come thither the fear This could only mean, in the present connexion, that there would be no more anxiety about thorns, &c., because the place was hopelessly overgrown by them. It is better to render with R.V. thou shalt not come thither for fear of, &c., although the construction is certainly harsh. Or the words might be taken as a continuation of the relative clause, thus: "And as for … mattock, whither no fear of thorns, &c. used to come, it shall be, &c." This is perhaps preferable.

for the sending forth of oxen i.e. a place where oxen are sent forth (cf. ch. Isaiah 32:20). the treading(ch. Isaiah 5:5) of lesser cattle(R.V. sheep).