Isaiah 7:3

Shear-jashub] i.e. 'a remnant shall return.' Already in the reign of Ahaz the prophet had summed up the characteristic feature of his teaching (see on Isaiah 6:13) in a symbolic name given to his son. Similarly he called another son Maher-shalal-hash-baz ('spoil speedeth, prey hasteth') that he might impressively indicate the speedy spoliation of Syria and Israel (Isaiah 8:3). Thus the prophet and his family were for signs to the people (Isaiah 8:18). There is a special significance in the presence of Shear-jashub at this meeting of Isaiah with king Ahaz. The prophet has to foretell invasion and spoliation of Judah by the Assyrians (Isaiah 7:20), but the presence of Shear-jashub gives assurance that a remnant shall return. The conduit] The king's object doubtless was to stop the waters outside the walls of the city (2 Chronicles 32:3), so that the enemy, in the siege that was imminent, might be without supply of water. Upper pool] probably the same as the upper watercourse of Gihon on the W. of Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 32:30). A lower pool is mentioned in Isaiah 22:9.