Probably no portion of the Bible has been regarded as so difficult of interpretation, and has given rise to so great a variety of expositions, as the prophecy which is commenced in this chapter, and which is closed in Isaiah 9:7. The importance of the prophecy respecting the Messiah (Isaiah 7:14 ff;... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE DAYS OF AHAZ - Ahaz began to reign about 738 years before Christ. By a comparison of 2 Kings 16:5, ..., with 2 Chronicles 28:5, etc., it will be seen that Judea was twice invaded by Rezin and Pekah in the reign of Ahaz; see the Analysis of the chapter. THAT REZIN ... - This confederacy was f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT WAS TOLD THE HOUSE OF DAVID - That is, the royal family; or the king and princes; the government. Ahaz was the descendant and successor of David. SYRIA IS CONFEDERATE WITH EPHRAIM - Ephraim was one of the tribes of Israel, and the kingdom of Israel was often called “Ephraim,” or the kingdom o... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID THE LORD - In regard to the purposes for which Isaiah was sent to meet Ahaz, and the reason why this place was selected, see the Analysis of the chapter. THOU AND SHEAR-ASHUB - The meaning of the name “Shear-jashub” is, ‘the remnant shall return.’ The names which Isaiah gave to his sons we... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE HEED - Hebrew ‘Keep thyself;’ that is, from fear. NEITHER BE FAINTHEARTED - Hebrew, ‘Let not thy heart be tender;’ that is, let it not be easily moved; be strong, fearless. FOR THE TAILS ... - There is much beauty and force in this comparison. The “design” of Isaiah is to diminish the fear of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND VEX IT - Margin, ‘Weaken it.’ Probably the word means to throw into consternation or fear, by besieging it - “Gesenius.” AND LET US MAKE A BREACH THEREIN - Let us break down the walls, etc. AND SET A KING - Subdue it, and make it tributary to the allied kingdoms of Syria and Ephraim. THE SON O... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE HEAD OF SYRIA - The “capital.” The “head” is often used in this sense. IS DAMASCUS - For an account of this city, see the notes at Isaiah 17:1; compare the notes at Acts 9:2. The sense of this passage is, ‘Do not be alarmed as if Rezin was about to enlarge his kingdom, by taking Judea and m... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE HEAD OF EPHRAIM - The capital city of Ephraim, or of Israel. IS SAMARIA - This was long the capital of the kingdom of Israel. For a description of this city, see the notes at Isaiah 28:1. The meaning of the prophet is, that Samaria should continue to be the head of Ephraim; that is, Jerusal... [ Continue Reading ]
ASK THEE - Ask for “thyself;” ask a sign that shall be convincing to “thyself,” since thou dost not fully credit the words of the prophet. It is evident that the words of the prophet had made no impression on the mind of Ahaz. God, therefore, proposes to him to ask any “proof or demonstration” which... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL NOT ASK - In this case Ahaz assumed the appearance of piety, or respect for the command of God. In Deuteronomy 6:16, it is written, ‘Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God;’ and Ahaz perhaps had this command in his eye. It was a professed reverence for God. But the true reason why he did not s... [ Continue Reading ]
O HOUSE OF DAVID - Isaiah 7:2. By this is to be understood not only the king himself, but the princes and rulers. Perhaps in addressing him thus, there was implied no small irony and reproach. David confided in God. But “Ahaz,” his descendant, feared to “tempt” God! As if God could not aid him! Wort... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE - Since you will not “ask” a pledge that the land shall be safe, Yahweh will furnish one unasked. A sign or proof is desirable in the case, and Yahweh will not withhold it because a proud and contemptuous monarch refuses to seek it. Perhaps there is no prophecy in the Old Testament on whic... [ Continue Reading ]
BUTTER AND HONEY - The word rendered “butter” (חמאה _chem'âh_), denotes not butter, but thick and curdled milk. This was the common mode of using milk as an article of food in the East, and is still. In no passage in the Old Testament does butter seem to be meant by the word. Jarchi says, that this... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAND THAT THOU ABHORREST - The land concerning which thou art so much “alarmed or distressed;” that is, the united land of Syria and Ephraim. It is mentioned here as ‘the land,’ or as one land, because they were united then in a firm alliance, so as to constitute, in fact, or for the purposes of... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SHALL BRING ... - The prophet having assured Ahaz that his kingdom should be free from the invasion that then threatened it, proceeds, however, to state to him that it would be endangered from another source. THY FATHER’S HOUSE - The royal family - the princes and nobles. DAYS THAT HAVE N... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY THE LORD SHALL HISS - see the note at Isaiah 5:26. FOR THE FLY - That is, for the army, or the multitude of people. The comparison of a numerous army with “flies” is not uncommon; see Homer’s “Iliad,” B. ii. 469, etc. - Thick as insects play, The wandering nation of a summer’s day. T... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL COME - The idea in this verse is, that they would spread over the land, and lay it waste. The poetic image of flies and bees is kept up; meaning, that the armies would be so numerous as to occupy and infest all the land. AND SHALL REST - As bees do. Thus the “locusts” are said to hav... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SAME DAY ... - The idea in this verse is the same as in the preceding, though presented in a different form. The meaning is, that “God” would bring upon them this punishment, but that he would make use of the Assyrian as an “instrument” by which to do it. SHAVE - The act of shaving off the h... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY - In the time specified in the previous verses - in the judgments that should be brought upon the land by the Egyptians and Assyrians. A MAN SHALL NOURISH - Hebrew ‘Make to live:’ that is, he shall own, or feed. A YOUNG COW - The Hebrew denotes a heifer that gives milk. The state which... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE ABUNDANCE OF MILK ... - On account, or by means of the great quantity of milk. This image also denotes that the land should be desolate, and abandoned by its inhabitants. Such a range would the cow and sheep have in the lands lying waste and uncultivated, that they would yield abundance of m... [ Continue Reading ]
The remainder of this chapter is a description of great desolation produced by the invasion of the Assyrians. “Where there were a thousand vines.” Where there was a valuable vineyard. In every place, that is, that was well cultivated and valuable. AT A THOUSAND SILVERLINGS - The word rendered ‘silve... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH ARROWS AND WITH BOWS ... - This is a continuation of the description of its desolation. So entirely would it be abandoned, so utterly desolate would it be, that it would become a vast hunting-ground. It would be covered with shrubs and trees that would afford a convenient covert for wild beasts... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ON ALL HILLS ... - All the fertile places in the mountains that used to be cultivated with the spade. Vineyards were often planted on the sides of hills; and those places were among the most productive and fertile in the land; see Isaiah 5:1. THE MATTOCK - The spade; the garden hoe; or the weed... [ Continue Reading ]