2. The second opinion is, that it has exclusive and immediate reference to the Messiah; that it does not refer at all to any event which was then to occur, and that to Ahaz the future Urth of a Messiah from a virgin was to be regarded as a pledge of the divine protection, and an assurance of the safety of Jerusalem. Some of the objections to this view I shall soon state.
3 The third opinion, therefore, in
that which blends these two, and which regards the prophet as speaking of the birth of a child which would soon take place of some one who was then a virgin—an event which could be known only to God, and which would there-.^re constitute a sign, or demonstration to Ahaz of the truth of what Isaiah Baid, but that the prophet intentionally so used language which would also mark a more important event, and direct the minds of the king and people onward to the future birth of one who should more fully answer to all that i» here said of the child that would be born, and to whom the name Immanuel would be more appropriately given. This I shall endeavour to show must be the correct interpretation. In exhibiting the reasons for this opinion, we may, first, state the evidence that the prediction refers to some child that would be born soon as a pledge that the land would be forsaken of its kings; and SECONDLY Ihe evidence that it refers also to,he Messiah in a higher and fuller sense.
(1) It is the obvious interpretation. It is that which would strike the great mass of men accustomed to interpret language on the principles of common sense. If the passage stood by itself; if the seventh and eighth chapters were all that we had; if there were no alludon to the passage in the New Testament; and if we were to sit down and merely look at the circumstances, and contemplate the narrative, the unhesitating opinion of the great mass of men would be that it must have such a reference. This is a good rule of interpretation. That which strikes the mass of men; which appears to men of sound sense as the meaning of a passage on a limple perusal of it, is likely to be the /rue meaning of a writing.
(2.) Such an interpretation is detianded by the circumstances of the case. The immediate point of the in« « quiry was not about the ultimaU and final safety of the kingdom — which would be demonstrated indeed by the announcement that the Messiah would appear — but it was about a prescn% matter; about impending danger. An alliance was formed between Syria and Samaria. An invasion was threatened. The march of the allied armies had commenced. Jerusalem was in consternation, and Ahaz had gone forth to see if there were any means of defence. In this state of alarm, and at this juncture, Isaiah went to asshre him that there was no cause for fear. It was not to assure him that the nation should be ultimately and finally safe — which might be proved by the fact that the Messiah would come, and that, therefore, God would preserve the nation; but the pledge was, that he had no reason to fear </ii« invasion, and that within a short space of time the land would " be forsaken of both ita kings." How could the fact that the Messiah would come more than seven hundred years afterwards, prove this 1 Might not Jerusalem be taken and subdued — as it was afterwards by the Chaldeans — and yet it be true that the Messiah would come, and that Goo would manifest himself as the protectoi of his people 1 Though, therefore, the assurance that the Messiah would come would be a general proof and pledge that the nation would be preserved and ultimately safe, yet it would not be a - pledge of the..spece/?c and immediate thing which occupied the attentipii. of the prophet, and of Ahaz. It would \ not, therefore, be a " sign" such as the prophet oiTered to give, or a proof of the fulfilment of the specific predictior under consideration. This argument ] regard as unanswerable. It is so obvious, and so sti-ong, that all the at« tempts to answer it by those who suppose there was an immediate and exclusive reference to thr Messiah hav« been entire failures.
(3.) It is a circumstance of some im poi-tance that Isaiah regarded himscll and his children as " signs" to tne people of his time. See eh. viii. 18. Ill accordance with this view it seems he had named one child Shear-jashub, vii. 3; and in accordance with the same view he afterwards named another Maiier-shalal-hash-baz— both of which names are significant. This would seem to imply that he meant here to refer to a similar fact, and to the birth of a son that should be a sign also to the people of his time.
(4.) An unanswerable reason for thinking that it refers to some event which was soon to occur, and to the birth of a child before the land should be forsaken of the two kings, is the record contained in ch. viii. 1-4. That record is evidently connected with this account, and is intended to be a public assurance of the fulfilment of what is here predicted respecting the deliverance of the land from the threatened invasion. In that passage, the prophet IS directed to take a great roll (ver. ]), and make a record concerning the son ihat was to be born; he calls public witnesses, men of character and well Known reputation, in attestation of the transaction (ver. 2); he approaches the prophetess (ver. 3); and it is expressly declared (ver. 4) that before the child should have " knowledge to say my father and my mother," i. e. be able to discern between good and evil (ch. viii. 16), " the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria" should be " taken away before the king of Assyria." This is so evidently a completion of the prophecy in ch. vii.; and a solemn fulfilling of it in a manner that should be satisfactory to Ahaz and the people, that it is impossible, it seems to_me^o regard itj.ny otherwile' t£^„ asj^reiz/ transaction. Hengstenberg, and those who suppose the prophecy to refer immediately and exclusively to the Messiah, are obliged to maintain that that was a " symbolical transaction," — an opinion which might with th'3 same propriety be held of any historical statement in the Bible, since there is lowhere to be found a more simple and unvarnished account of mere matter of historical fact than that. TJie Btatement, therefore, in ch. viii. is con-
I think, that there was a reference in cli. vii. 14-16, to a child of the prophet that would be soon born, and that vsrould be a pledge of the divine protection, and a proof or sign to Ahaz that Jhia land would Jbe Scife. 7
It is no objection to this that Isaiah then had a son (ch. vii. 3), and that therefore the mother of that son couUi not be a virgin. There is no improbability in the supposition that the mother of that son was deceased, and that Isaiah was about again to be married. Such an event is not so uncommon as to make it a matter of ridicule (see Hengs. p. 342); or to render the supposition wholly incredible.
Nor is it any objection that aiiother name wa:s given to the child that was born to Isaiah, ch. viii. 1, 3. Nofhing was more common than to givp two names to children. It might have been true that the name usually given tc him was Mahar-shalal-hash-baz; and still true that the circumstances of his birth were such an evidence of the divine protection, and such an emblem of the divine guardianship, as to make proper i the name Immanuel. See Note on ver. 14. It may be observed, also, that on the supposition of the strict and exclusive Messianic interpretation the same objection might be made, and the same difficulty would lie. It was no more true of Jesus of Nazareth than of the child of Isaiah that he was commonly called Immanuel. He had ano-^ ther name also, and was called by that other name. Indeed, there is not th"^ slightest evidence that the Lord Jesus was ever designated by the name Immanuel ais a proper name. All that the passage means is, that such should be the circumstances of the birth of the child as to render the name Immanuel proper; not that it would be applied to him in fact as the usual appellaiion.
Nor is it any objection to this view, that the mind of the prophet is evidently directed onward to the Messiah; and that the prophecy tpnnmates (ch. viii. 8, ix. 1-1) with a reference to him. That this is so, I admit; but nothing is more common in Isaiah than for him to co'.nmence a prophecy with reference
',0 some remarkable deliverance which was soon to occur, and to terminate it by a statement of events connected with a higher deliverance mider the Messiah. By the laws of prophetic suggestion, the mind of the prophet seized upon resemblances and analogies; was carried on to future times which were suggested by something that he was saying or contemplating as about to occur, until the mind was absorbed, and the primary object forgotten in the contemplation of the more remote and glorious event. See Introduction to Isaiah, § 7. III. (3.)
(1.) The passage in Matthew i. 22, 23, is an evidence that he regarded this as having a reference to the Messiah, and that it had a complete fulfilment in him. This quotation of it also shows that that was the common interpretation of the passage in his time, or he would not thus have introduced it. It cannot be proved, indeed, that Matthew means to affirm that this was the primary and original meaning of the prophecy, or that the prophet had a direct and exclusive reference to the Messiah; but it proves that in his apprehension the words had a fulness of meaning, and an adaptcdness to the actual circumstances of the birth of the Messiah, which would accurately and ^ appropriately express that event. See Notes on the passage in Matthew. The prophecy was not completely ful- Jilled, filled up, fully and adequately met, until applied to the Messiah. That event was so remarkable; the birth of Jesus was so strictly of a virgin, and his nature so exalted, that it might be said to be a complete and entire fulfilment of it. The language of Isaiah indeed was applicable to the event referred to immediately in the time of Ahaz, and expressed that with clearness; but it more appropriately and fully expressed the' event referred to by Matthew, and thus shows that the prophet designedly made use of language which would be appropriate to a future ml mos' gloiious event.
(2.) An argument of no slight im» portance on this subject may be drawn from the fact, that this has been the common interpretation in the Christian church. I know that this argument is not conclusive: nor should it be pressed beyond its due and proper weight. It is of force only because the united and almost uniform impression of rnan* kind for many generations in regard to the meaning of a written document, ia not to be rejected without great and unanswerable arguments. I know that erroneous interpretations of many passages have prevailed in the church; and that the interpretation of many passages of Scripture which have prevailed from age to age, have been such as have been adapted to bring the whole subject of Scriptural exegesis into contempt. But we should be slow to reject that which has had in its favour the suffrages of the unlearned, as well as the learned, in the interpretation of the Bible. The interpretation which refers this passage to the Messiah has been the prevailing one in all ages. It was followed by all the fathers and other Christian expositors until the middle of the eighteenth century (Hengstenberg); and is the prevailing interpretation at the present time. Among those who have defended it, it is sufficient to mention the names of Lowth, Koppe.RosenmOller and Hengstenbergj in addition to those names which are found in the well known English commentaries. It has been opposed by the modem Jews, and by German neolog sts; but has not been regarded aa false by the great mass of pious and humble Christians. The argument here is simply that which would be applied in the interpretation of a passage in Homer or Virgil; that where the great mass of readers of all classes have concurred in any interpretation, there ia presumptive evidence that it is correct — evidence, it is true, which may be set aside by argument, but which is to be admitted to be of some account in making up the mind as to the meaning of the passage in question.
ral strain and manner of Isaiah. It is in accordance with his custom, at the mention of some occurrence or deliverance which is soon to take place, to suffer the mind to fix ultimately on the more remote event of the same general character, or lying, so to speak, in the same range of vision and of thought. See the Introduction, § 7. It is also the custom of Isaiah to hold up to prominent view the idea that the nation would not be ultimately destroyed till ihs great Deliverer should come; that it was safe amidst all revolutions; that vitality would remain like that of a tree in the depth of winter, when all the leaves are stripped off (ch. vi. 13); and tuat all their enemies would be destroyed, and the true people of God be ultimately secure and safe under their great Deliverer. See Notes on chs. xxxiv., XXXV. It is true that this argument will not be very striking except to one who has attentively studied this prophecy; but it is believed that no one can profoundly and carefully examine the manner of Isaiah, without being struck with it as a very important feature of his mode of communicating truth. In accordance with this, the prophecy before us means, that the nation was safe from this invasion. Ahaz feared the extinction of his kingdom, and the permanent annexation of Jerusalem to Syria and Samaria. Isaiah told him that that could not)occur; and proffered a demonstration Uhat in a very few years the land would (he forsaken of both its kings. — On an- /other ground also it could not be. The ^people of God were safe. His king-, dom could not be permanently de- "^stroyed. It must continue until the;Messiah should comei, and the eye of the prophet, in accordance with his usual custom, glanced to that future event, and he became totally absorbed in its contemplation, and the prophecy is finished (ch. ix. 1-7) by a description of the characteristics of the light that he saw in future times rising in dark Galilee (ch. ix. 1, 2), and of the child that should be born of a virgin then.
we may remark, as Lowth has done, that to a people accustomed to look for a great Deliverer; that had fixed their hopes on one who was to sit on the throne of David, the language which Isaiah here used would naturally suggest the idea of a Messiah. It was so animated, so ill-adapted to describe his own son, and so fitted to convey the idea of a most remarkable and unusual occurrence, that it could scarcely have been otherwise than that they should have thought of the Messiah. This is true in a special manner of the language in ch ix. 1-7.
(4.) An argument for the Messianic interpretation may be derived from the public expectation which was excited by some such prophecy as this. There is a striking similarity between it and one which is uttered by Micah who was contemporc'-v with Isaiah. Which was penned first it would not be easy to show; but they have internal evidence that they both had their origin in an expectation that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. Comp. Note ch. ii. 2. In Micah v. 2, 3, the following prediction occurs: " But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler over Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity. Therefore will he give them up, until the time when she which travaileth hath brought forth." That this passage refers to the birth of the Messiah is demonstrable from Matt. ii. 6. Nothing can be clearer than that this is a prediction respecting the place of his birth. The Sanhedrim when questioned by Herod respecting the place of his birth, answered without the slightest hesitation, and referred to this place in Micah for proof. The expression, " she which travaileth," or " she that bears shall
"she that bears" (^7- '^) seems to have been used somewhat in the serse of a proper name, to designate on4s who was well known, and of whom there had been a definite prediction. Rosenmuiier remarks, " she is not indeed expressly called a virgin, but that she is so is self-evident, since she shall bear the hero of divine origin (from everlasting), and consequently not begotten by a mortaL The predictions throw light on each other; Micah discloses the divine origin of the person predicted, Isaiah the wonderful manner of his birth." Ros. as quoted by Hengst. In his first Edition Rosenmtiller remarks on Micah v. 2: " The phrase, * she who shall bear shall bear,' denotes the virgin from whom, in a miraculous manner, the people of that time hoped that the Messiah would be born." If Micah refers to a well-known existing prophecy, it must evidently be this in Isaiah, since no other similar prophecy occurs in the Old Testament: and if he wrote subsequently to Isaiah the prediction in Micah must be regarded as a proof that this was the prevailing interpretation of his time.
That this was the prevailing interpretation of those times is confirmed by the traces of the belief which are to be found extensively in ancient nations that some remarkable person would appear who should be born in this manner. The idea of a deliverer to be born of a virgin is one that somehow had obtained an extensive prevalence in Oriental nations, and traces of it may be found almost every where among them. In the Hindoo Mythology it is said respecting Budhu that he was born of Maya, a gpddess of the imagination — a virgin. Among the Chinese there is an image of a beautiful woman with a child in her arms, which child they say was born of a virgin. The passage in Virgil is well known:
Jam rcdit et Virgo, rcdeunt Saturnia regna: Jam nova progenies coelo demittitur alto. Til mode nascenti puero, quo ferrea primum Desinet. ac toto surget gens aurea muruio. Casta Aive Lucina: tuus jam regnat Apollo.
Comes the last age by Cumae's maid foretold; Afresh tho mighty Vlr.e of years unrolled. The Virgin now, now Saturn's sway returns; Now the blest globe a heaven-sprung child adorns, Whose genial powershall wh^lm earth's iron race, Ikud plant once mort Vlie golden in ittj place—
Thou chaste Lucina, but that child sustain, And lo 1 disclosed thine own Apollo's reign.
Th^'s passage, though applied by Virgi. to a different subject, has been usually regarded as having been suggested by that in Isaiah. The coincidence of thought is remarkable on any supposition; and there is no improbability in the supposition that the expectation of a Great Deliverer to be born of a virgin had prevailed extensively, and that Virgil wrought it up in this beautiful manner, and applied it to a prince in his own tirre. On the prevalent expectation of sach a deliverer, see Note on Matt. ii. 2.
(5.) But the great and the unanswerable argument for the Messianic interpretation is derived from the conclusion of the prophecy in ch. viii. 8, and especially in ch. ix. 1-7. The prophecy in ch. ix. 1-7, is evidently connected with this; and yet cannot be applied to a son of Isaiah, or to any other child that should be then born. If there is any passage in the Old Testament that must be applied to the Messiah, that is one. See Notes on the passage. And if so, it proves, that though the prophet at first had his eye on an event which was soon to occur, and which would be to Ahaz full demonstration that the land would be safe from the impending invasion, yet that he employed language which would describe also a future glorious event, and which would be a fuller demonstration that God would protect the people. He became fully absorbed in that event, and his language at last referred to that alone. The child then about to be born would, in most of the circumstances of his birth, be an apt emblem of him who should be born in future times, since both would be a demonstration of the divine power and protection. To both, the name Immanuel though not the common name by which either would be designated, might be appropriately given. Both would be born of a virgin; — tlie former, of one who v/as then a virgin, and the birth of whose child could be known only to God: — the latter, of one vrhr
17 The Lord shall bring upon ' that Ephrain departed from Ju; thee, and upon thy people, and | dah; even the king of Assyria, upon thy father's house, days | 18 And it shall come to pasa that have not come, from the day in that day, that the Lord shall should be appropriately called the virgin, and who should remain so at the time of his birth. — This seems to me to be the meaning of this xiifficult prophecy. The considerations in favour of referring it to the birth of a child in the time of Isaiah, and which should be a pledge to him of the safety of his kingdom then, seem to me to be unanswerable. And the considerations in favour of an ultimate reference to the Messiah — a reference which becomes in the issue total and absorbing — are equally unanswerable; and if BO, then the two-fold reference is clear. 17. The Lord shall bring, &c. 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. IT Thy father's house. The royal family — the princes and nobles. H Days that have not come. Times of calamity that have not been equalled. T From the day that Ephraim departed from, Judah. From the time of the separation of the ten tribes from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. IT Even the king of Assyria. This was done in i^e following manner. Though the siege which Rezin and Pekah had undertaken was not at this time successful, yet they returned the year after with stronger forces, and with counsels better concerted, and again besieged the city. This was in consequence of the continued and increasing wickedness of Ahaz, 2 Chron. xxviii. 1-5. In this expedition a great multitude were taken captives, and carried to Damascus, 2 Chron. xxviii. 5. Pekah at this time also slew 120,000 of the Jews in one day, 2 Chron. xxviii. 6; and Zichri, a va.iant man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the son of Ahaz. At this time also Pekah took no less than 200,000 of the kingdom of Judah, proposing to take them to Samaria, but was prevented by the influence of the prophet Oded, 2 Chron. xxviii. 8-15. In this calamity, Ahaz stripped the temple of its treasures and ornaments, and sent them to Tiglrith-Pileser, king of Assyria, to induce him to come and defend him from the united arms of Syria and Ephraim. The consequence was, as might have been foreseen, that the king of Assyria took occasion from this to bring increasing calamities upon the kingdom of Ahaz. He first, indeed, slew Rezin, and took Damascus, 2 Kings xvi. 7. Having subdued the kingdoms of Damascus and Ephraim, Tiglath-Pileser became a more formidable enemy to Ahaz, than both of them. His object was not to aid Ahaz, but to distress him (2 Chron, xxviii^ 20); and his coming professedly and at the request of Ahaz, to his help, was a far more formidable calamity than the threatened invasion of both Rezin and Pekah. — God has power to punish a wicked nation in his own way. When they seek human aid he can make this a scourge. He has kings and nations under his control; and though a wicked prince may seek earthly alliance, yet it is easy for God to allow such allies to indulge their ambition and love of rapine, and make them the very instruments of punishing the nation which they were called to defend. It should be observed that this phrase " eVen the king of Assyria" is by many critics thought to be spurious, or a marginal reading or gloss that has by some means crept into the text. The ground of this opinion is, that it does not harmonize entirely with the following verse where Egypt is mentioned as well as Assyria, and that it does not agree with the poetical form of thq passage.
18. In that day the Lord shall hiss. See Note ch. v. 26. IT For the fly. That is, for the army, or the multitude of people. The compariao?i of a numa-
hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of
rous army with flies is not uncommon. Hee Homer's Iliad, B. ii. 469, &.c.
Thick as insects play,
The "vandering nation of a summer's day, That, drawn by milky streams at evening hours, In gathered swarms surround the rural bowers; From pail to pail with busy murmur run The gilded legions, glittering in the sun.
The comparison is drawn probably from the number, but also is intended to indicate the troublesome char?tcter, of the invaders. Perhaps also there is an allusion here to the well-known fact that one of the ten plagues of Egypt was caused by numerous swarms of flies. Ex. viii. 21-24. An army would be brought up from that country as numerous, as troublesome, and as de- Btructive as was that swarm of flies. The following description by Bruce of a species of flies in Abyssinia and the adjacent regions, will give an idea of the character of this calamity and the force of the language used here.
" This insect is called Zimb; it has not been described by any naturalist. It is, in size, very little larger than a we, of a thicker proportion, and has wmp^s. which are broader than those of a bee, piaced separate, like those of a fly: they are of pure gauze, without colour or spot upon them; the head is large, the upper jaw or lip is sharp, and has at the end of it a strong pointed hair, of about a quarter of an inch long; the lower jaw has two of these pointed hairs; and this pencil of hairs, when joined together, makes a resistance to the finger, nearly equal to that of a Btrong hog's bristle; its legs are serrated in the inside, and the whole covered with brown hair or down.
Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria:
As soon as this plague appears, and their buzzing is heard, all the cattle forsake their food, and run wildly about the plain, till they die, worn out with fatigue, fright, and hunger. No remedy remains, but to leave the black earth, and hasten down to the sands of Atbara; and there they remain, while the rains last, this cruel enemy never daring to pursue them farther. Though his size be immense, as is his strength, and his body covered with a thick skin, defended with strong hair, yet, even the camel is not capable to sustain the violent punctures the fly makes with his pointed proboscis. He must lose no time in removing to the sands of Atbara; for when once attacked by this fly, his body, head, and legs, break out into large bosses, which swell, break, and putrify, to the certain destruction of the creature. Even the elephant and rhinoceros, who, by reason of their enormous bulk, and the vast quantity of food and water they daily need, cannot shift to desert and dry places as the season may require, are obliged to roll themselves in mud and mire, which, when dry, coats them, over like armour, and enables them to stand their ground against this winged assassin; yet I have found some of these tubercles upon almost every elephant and rhinoceros that I have seen, and attribute them to this cause. All the inhabitants of the sea-coast of Melinda, down to Cape Gardefan, to Saba, and the south coast of the Red Sea, are obliged to put themselves in motion, and remove to the next sand, in the beginning of the rainy season, to prevent all their stock of cattle from being destroyed. This is not a partial emigration; the inhabitants of all the countr'es, from the mountains of Abyssinia northward, to the confluence of the Nile, and Astaboras, are once a year obliged to change their al ode, and seek protection in the sand of Beja; nor is there any alternative, or means of avoiding this, though a hostile band vere in their way, capable of spoiling
19 And 'they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of
them or half their substance. This fly has no sting, though he seemed to me to be rather of the bee kind; but his motion is more rapid and sudden than that of the bee, and resembles that of the gad-fly in England. There is something particular in the sound or buzzing of this insect; it is a jarring noise, together with a humming, which induces me to believe it proceeds, at least in part, from a vibration made with the three hairs at his snout." IT The uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt. The remotest part of the land — that is, from the whole country. Egypt was watered by a single river — the Nile. But this river emptied into the Mediterranean by several mouths; and from this river also were cut numerous canals to water the land. These are intended by the rivers of Egypt. See Notes, ch. xix. 6, 7. Those canals would be stagnant for no small part of the year; and around them would be produced, as is usual near stagnant waters, great quantities of flies. This prophecy was fulfilled by the invasion of the land in subsequent times by the Egyptians. 2 Kings xxiii. 33, 34. 2 Chron. xxxv. 20, 24, xxxvi. 1,2. IT And for the bee. That is, for the army. An army is compared to bees on account of their number; perhaps also on account of the pungency and severity of the sting. The comparison is common. See Deut. i. 44, vii. 20. Ps. cxviii. 12. The Chaldee has rendered this verse, " The Lord shall call to a people girded with the armies of the brave, who are numerous as flies, and shall bring them from the ends of the land of Egypt; and strong armies, strong as bees, and shall bring them from the land of Assyria." No prophecy was ever more completely fulfilled than this by the successive invalions of I*haraoh-Necho, Esarhaddon and Nebuchadnezzar. See Isa. xxxvi., \xxvii. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 7-21.
19. And ihef shall come. The idea the rocks, and upon all tliorn^ and upon all * bushes.
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. V And shall rest. As bees do. Thus the locusts are said to have rested in all the land of Egypt. Ex. X. 14. IT In the desolate valleys. The w^ord translated valleys usually means a valley with a brook, or a brook itself. The Chaldee translates it, " in the streets of cities." But the idea is derived from the habits of flies ano bees. The meaning is, that they should fill all the land — as innumerable swarma of flies and bees would settle down every where, and would infest or con - sume every thing. Bees, probably^ chose situations near to running streams. Virgil in his directions about selecting a place for an apiary, give* the following among others:
At liquidi fontes, et stagna virentia musco Adsint, et tenuis fugiens per gramina rivus — Georg. iv. 18, 19.
But there let pools invite with moss arrayed Clear fount and rill that purls along the glade.
IT In the holes of the rocks Proba« bly the same image is referred to here. It is well-known that in Judea, as well as elsewhere, bees were accustomed to live in the holes or caverns of the rocks. They were very numerous; and the figure here is, that the Assyrians would be numerous as the swarms of bees were in that land, even in the high and inaccessible rocks. Comp. Isa. ii. 19, 20, 21. IT Upon all thorns. The image here is kept up of flies and beea resting on every thing. Thorns here refer to those trees and shrubs that were of little value — but even on these they would rest. IT All bushes. Heb. All trees that are commendable, or that are to be praised. See Margin. The word denotes those shrubs and trees that were objects of praise; that iS| that were cultivated with great atten
20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.
21 And it shall come to p?iss
tion arid care in opposition to thorns tliat grew wild, and without cultivation, and that were of little value. The meaning of the passage is, that the land would be invaded in every part, and that every thing, valuable or not, would be laid waste.
20. In the same day^ &c. The idea m 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 Assynan as Jin instrument hy vf\iic\\. to do it. IT Shave. The act of shaving off the nair denotes punishment or disgrace. Comp. 2 Sam. x. 4. " Hanan took David's servants, and shaved off one half of their beards." 1 Chron. xix. 4. IT With a razor. Using them as an instrument. God here claims the power of directing them, and regards them as employed by him. See ch. x. 5, 6, 7. IT That is hired. This is an allusion to the custom of hiring soldiers, or employing mercenary armies. Thus Great Britain employed mercenary troops, or hired of the Germans bodies of Hessians to carry on the war in this country. The meaning here is, that God would employ the Assyrians as his instruments, to effect his purposes — as though they were hired and paid by the plunder and spoil of the nation. ^By them beyond the river. The river Euphrates. The Euphrates is usually meant in the Scriptures where " the river*' is mentioned without specifying the name. Pa. Ixxii. 8, Ixxx. 2. This was the river which Abraham had passed; and this perhaps was, for a long time, the eastern boundary of their geographical knowledge. See Note ch. xi. 15. 1 The head. The hair of the head.
for the abundance of milk thai they shall give that he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left ^in the land.
IT The hair of the feet. Or the other parts of the body — of the lower parts of the body. IT Shall consume the beard. Shall cut off the beard. This was esteemed particularly disgraceful among the Jews. It is at th's day among all Eastern nations. The beard is regarded as a distinguished ornament; among the Mahometans it ia sworn by, and no higher insult can be offered than to treat the beard with indignity. Comp. Note Isa. 1. 6. The meaning is here, that God would employ the Assyrian as his instrument to lay waste the land.
21. Jw 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. IT Shall a man nourish. Heb. make to live; that is, he shall own, or feed. IT A young cow. The Hebrew denotes a heifer that gives milk. The state which is denoted by this, is that of great poverty. Instead of being engaged in agriculture, of possessing great resources in that time, a man should depend for the subsistence of himself and his family on what a single cow and two sheep would yield Probably this is intended also as a description of the general state of the nation, that it would be reduced to great poverty. ^ And two sheep. Two here seems to be used to denote a very small number. A man, i. e. the generality of men, would be so reduced as to be able to purchase and keep no more.
22. For the abundance of milk, &c On account, or by means of the greai 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 hav*
in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings,
in the lands lying waste and uncultivated, that they would yield abundance of milk. IT For butter and honey. This shall be the condition of all who are left in the land. Agriculture shall be abandoned. The land shall be desolate. The few remaining inhabitants shall be dependent on what a very few cows and sheep shall produce, and on the subsistence which may be derived from honey obtained from the rocks where bees would lodge. Perhaps, also, the swarms of bees would be increased by the fact that the land would be forsaken, and that it would produce abundance of wild flowers for their subsistence. The general idea is plain, that the land would be desolate. Butter and honey, that is, butter mingled with honey, is a common article of food in the East, See Note on ver. 15. D'Arvieux being in the camp of an Arab prince who lived in much splendour, and who treated him with great regard, was entertained, he tells us, the first morning of his being there, with little ]oa.\e3, honey, new-churned butter, and cream more delicate than any he ever saw, together with coffee. Voy. dans la Pal. p. 24. And in another place he assures us, that one of the principal things with which the Arabs regale themselves at breakfast is cream, or new butter mingled with honey; p. 197. The statement of the prophet here, that the poor of the land should eat butter and honey, is not inconsistent with this account of D'Arvieux, that it is regarded as an article of food with which even princes treat their guests; for the idea of the prophet is, that when the land should be desolate and comparatively uninhabited, the natural luxuriant growth of the soil would produce an abundance to furnish milk, and that honey would abound where the bees svould be allov/ed to multiply almost ivithout limit. See Harmer's Obs. vol. ii. p. 55. Fid. Lond. 1808.
it shall even be for briers and thorns.
2^. The remainder of this chaptel is a description of great desolation produced by the invasion of the Assyrians. IT 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 " silverlings" here, ti&3 Mseph, denotes properly siYucr — of any amount. But it is also used to denote the silver coin which was in use among the Jews, <Ae shekel. Perhaps this was the only silver coin which in early times they possessed, and hence the word shekel IS omitted, and so many pieces of silver are mentioned. Thus in Gen. xx. 16, Abimelech says, that he had given Abraham *' a thousand of silver" — that is, a thousand shekels. The shekel was worth about fifty centa of our money. It is probable that a vineyard would be valued in proportion to the number of vines that could b« raised on the smallest space; and tho meaning is here, that the land that was most fertile, and that produced the most, would be desolate, and would produce only briers and thorns. The land in Judea admits of a high state of cultivation, and requires it, in order to make it productive. When neglected, it becomes as remarkably sterile. At present, it generally bears the marks of great barrenness and sterility. It is under the oppression of Turkish power and exactions; and the consequence is, that to a traveller it has the appearance of great barrenness. But in the high state to which the Jews brought it, it was eminently fertile, and is capable still of becoming so, if it should be placed under a government that would encourage agriculture and bestow freedom. This is the account which all travellers give of it now.
24. With arrows and with bows, &c. This is a continuatirtn of the description of its desolation. So entirei^
all the land shall become briers and thorns.
25 And on all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear
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; and would yield to its few inhabitants a subsistence, not by cultivation, but by the bow and the arrow. There can scarcely be a more striking description of utter desolation. But, perhaps, the long captivity of seventy years in Babylon literally fulfilled it. Judea was a land that at all times was subject to depredations from wild beasts. On the banks of the Jordan — in the marshes, and amid the reeds that sprung up in the lower bank or border of the river, the lion found a home, and the tiger a resting place. Comp, Jer. xlix. 19. When the land was for a little time vacated and forsaken, it would be, therefore, soon filled with wild beasts; and during the desolations of the seventy years' captivity, there can be no doubt that this was literally fulfilled.
25. And on all kills, &,c. All the fertile places in the mountains that used to be cultivated with the spade. Vineyards were often planted on the Bides of hills; and those places were among the most productive and fertile in the land. See ch. v. 1. IT The mattock. The spade; the garden hoe; or the weeding-hook. An instrument chiefly used probably in vineyards. IT There shall not come thither. There ihall not be. IT The fear of briers and thorns. Tills does not make sense; or of briers and thorns; but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treadinar of lesser cattle.
if ii does, it is not a sense consistent with the connection. The idea of the whole passage is, that the land — even the most fertile parts of it — should be given up to briers and thorns; that is, to desolation. The Hebrew here ia ambiguous. It may mean * thou shalt not come there for fear of the briers and thorns.' That is, the place that was formerly so fertile, that was cultivated with the spade, shall now be so completely covered with thorns, and shall furnish so convenient a resting place for wild beasts and reptiles, as to deter a man from going there. The LXX, and the Syriac, however, understand it differently — as denoting that those places should be still cultivated. But this isevidently a departure from the sense of the connection. Lowth understands it in the past tense; " where the fear of briers and thorns nevei came." The general idea of the passage is plain, that those places once so highly cultivated would now be desolate. IT Shall be for the sending forth, &.C. Shall be wild, uncultivated, and desolate — ^vast commons on which oxen and sheep shall feed at large. IT Lesser cattle. Heb. sheep, or the flock. Sheep were accustomed to range in deserts and uncultivated places, and to obtain there, under the guidance of the shepherd, their subsistence. The description, therefore, in these verses, is one of extensive and wide desolation; and ona that was accomplished in the calamitiei that came upon the land in the invasions by the Egyptians and Assyriajie
In ch. vii. the prophet had told Ahazthat God would give him a sign that the landof Judah should be safe from the threatened invasion of the united armies of Syria and Israel. In this chafiter, there is a record of the primary fulfilment of that promise, vs. 1—4. From ver. 5, to ver. 8, the prophet resumes and repeats what he had said before in eh. vii. 17—25, that although the land should be safe from this invasion, yet one more formidable would occur by the armies of Assyria. The cause of this is stated to be, that Judah had despised the Lord, and had sought alliances with Syxia and Israel. The prophet then proceeds to exhort the people to put confidence in Jehovah— assuring them that ij they refused to confide in him they must expect to be destroyed, vs. 9 — 18; and the chapter conchides •with denouncing punishment on those that looked to necromancers and diviners, rather than to th<* true God. The prophecy is intimately connected with that in the previous chapter; and was de* vered, evidently, not far from the same time.
1 Moreover the Lord said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen con-
1. Take thee a great roll. The j^rord which is here translated " roll" more properly signifies tablet. So the Chaldee renders it. Those tablets were made of wood, metal, or stone, for the purpose of writing on. See ch. xxx. 8. Hab. ii. 2. On these tablets or smooth plates, writing was performed by cutting the letters with an iron stylus, or small chisel. The process was slow, but the writing was permanent. They sometimes used the skins of animals, or the bark of trees, and subsequently the papyrus of Egypt (comp. Note ch. xix. 7); and it is possible that Isaiah may have used such a roll or volume on this occasion. Comp. ver. 16. IT With a man's pen. The word pen here (^"^.D) denotes the iron stylus which was used to engrave or cut the letters in the metal or wood. The phrase " a man's pen " has been variously interpreted. The Chaldee renders it "write in it an open, or clear writing, or an expanded writing;" meaning that he should make it clear and distinct, so as to be easily read. The Syriac, " write on it in the [usual] custom of men." The word which is translated " man's" (^13^) usually denotes common men, the lower ranks, in opposition to the higher ranks of society. And probably the direction means simply, * write on it in letters luch as men commonly use; in a plain.
open, distinct manner — without using any mysterious emblems or characters, but so that men may read it distinctly and easily.* A parallel plac€ occurs in Hab. ii. 2: " Write the vision and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." IT Concerning.
Heb. P. This preposition may denote concerning, of, or to. I understand ii here as referring to the heading or title of the prophecy. This was to be set over the prophecy, as a running title, to denote the main subject of it. The subject is indicated in the name which is immediately added. '^ Maher. Hasten; or he shall hasten. IT Shalal. Spoil, or prey. IT Hash. Hasten, or make speed. Baz. Spoil, or prey The name used here is a repetition of the same idea — denoting haste in seizing prey, or spoil; and is repeated to give emphasis, and to excite attention. The idea is, that the Assyrian would hasten to his plunder — that it would be accomplished with speed. This name was to be given to a child of Isaiah; and this child was to be a sign of the event which was signified by the name. See ver. 18. Comp. Hab. ii. 2,3.
2. And I took unto me faithful witnesses. What was the precise object in calling in these witnesses ia not known. Some have supposed that it was to bear testimony to the mar*
witnesses to record, Uriah'* the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.
3 And I "went unto the prophetess; and she conceived and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Mahershalal-hash-baz:
a 2 Kings 16. 10. 2 approached, b ch. 7.!6. 3 or, he that is before the king of Assyria shall take away the riches.
riage of the prophet at that time. But it may have been for the purpose of a public record of the prophecy; a record BO made, that the precise time when it was delivered could be attested without dispute. The prophecy was an important one, and it was important to know in the most authentic and undisputed manner that such a prophecy had been delivered. It is probable that the prophecy, attested by the nanies of these two men, was suspended in some public place in the temple, so that it might be seen by the people, and allay their fears; and in order to remove from the multitude every Jsuspicion that it was a prophecy after the event. That this was a real, and not a symbolical transaction, is perfectly manifest, not only from the narrative itself, but from ver. 18. They are called "faithful," not on account of their private character, but because their public testimony would be credited by the people. IT To record. To bear witness. IT Uriah the priest. This is doubtless the same man that is mentioned in 2 Kings xvi. 10. He was a man of infamous character; the accomplice of Ahaz in corrupting the true religion; but still his testimony might be the more valuable to Ahaz, as he was associated with him in his plans. V And Zechariah, &c. It is not certainly known who this was. Perhaps he was one of the Lev'tes whose nv-Jne is mentioned in 2 Chron. xxix. 13.
3. Then said the Lord, &c. The name thus given was to be emblematic of a particular event — that Assyria would soon take way the spoil of Damascus and Samaria. It is not remark- Rble that the name Immanuel should
4 For* before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the ^riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken awav ''before the king of Assyria.
5 The Lord spake also unto me again, saying,
also be given to the same child, aa signifying the presence and protection of God in defending the nation from the invaders. See Notes on ch. vii. 14, 15. Calvin thinks that all this passed in a vision before the prophet; but it has every mark of being a literal narrative of the birth of a son to Isaiah; and without this supposition, it is impossible to understand the account contained here.
4. For before, &c. This must have ^^ occurred in a short time — probably be- '^ fore the expiration of three years, A child would usually learn to address his parents in that time. In fact, the event here predicted occurred in less than three years from the time when the prophecy was spoken. See Notes on ch. vii. 16. IT Before the king of Assyria. By the king, or by his conquests. By the spoil of Samaria here is to be understood not the plunder which should be carried away from the city, but from the kingdom of Samaria. In other places iLe land is called by the name of the cr.p'tal. Comp. 2 Kin. xvii. 26, xxiii. 19. Jer. xxxi. 5. The city of Samaria was not plundered until eighteen years after the time here mentioned by the prophet. 5, 6. — These verses introduce again what was predicted in ch. vii. 17, seq., respecting the invasion of the land by the king of Assyria. The cause of the invasion is specified, and the consequences are foretcld.
6. Forasmuch as this people. There has been a considerable difference of opinion among interpreters respecting the " people " to whom the prophet here refers. Some have supposed thai it refers to the kingdom of Judah alone; others to a 'party in that kingdom; and others to the kingdom of Judah in co.mection with the ten tribes, or the kingdom of Israel also. The latter is probably the correct interpretation. The prophet reproves the whole nation of the Jews for despising the mild and gentle reign of the family of David, and for seeking the aid of foreign nations; — the ten tribes as seeking an alliance with Rezin and Pekah, and the kingdom of Judah as seeking an alliance with the king of Assyria. It was characteristic of the nation— both of the ten tribes, and of the tribe of Judah— that they forsook the defence which they had in themselves, and sought foreign alliances. Hence God says that he will bring upon them the judgments which they deserve. That there is a joint reference to both the kingdoms of Israel and Judah is apparent from ver. 14. It cannot refer to the kingdom of Judah alone, for it could not be brought as an accusation against them that they took pleasure in Rezin. In the opinion that it refers to the kingdoms of Israel and of Judah —to the whole Jewish people — Vitringa, Lowth, and Hengstenberg concur. *ir The waters o/ Shiloah that go softly. That flow gently. The name Siloah, or Siloam, is found only three times in the Scriptures as applied to waters; once in this place where it is spoken of a ninning water; once as a pool in Nehemiah— nVrn nsna-^cii. iii. 15, and again as a pool in the account of the miracle of healing the man who was bom blind, John ix. 7, 11- Siloam ia on the east side of the city of Jerusalem, to the south-east of the site of the temple, and its waters flow into the valley of Jehoshaphat. The name means sent, or sending, from n?tl3 to serjcZ, and was probably given to it Because the waters were sent or made to pass through a subterranean passage ©r aqueduct. At present it properly ConaistB of two receptacles or reser- voirs, the waters from one of which flow into the other. The first or uppef one is now called the * Fountain of the Virgin,' from a tradition that it was here that the Virgin Mary resorted before her purification, in order to wash her child's iinen. This fountain is on the west side of the valley of Jehoshaphat, and is about 1 550 feet from the south-east corner of the city wall. The cavity of this fountain is wholly excavated in the solid rock. To enter it there is at first a descent of sixteen steps, to a level place or platform of twelve feet in diameter, and then another descent often steps to the water, making the whole depth twenty-five feet. The basin here is about fifteen feet long by five or six wide, and the height six or eight feet. There is some reason to suppose that this is supplied by a fountain lying under the mosk of Omar, on the site of the temple of Solomon. From this fountain the water is conducted by a subterranean passage, in a direction a little to the west of south to what is properly called the fountain of Siloam. This passage runs under the extremity of Mount Ophel; is cut entirely from the solid rock, and is found by measurement to be 1750 feet in length. At the lower part it is from ten to fifteen feet in height by two in breadth, but in the middle so low that it cart be passed only by creeping on the hands and knees. The passage is partly filled up with sand. From this aqueduct the water is conveyed into the pool of Siloam, situated near where the Tyropoeon or * valley of cheesemongers' opens into the valley of Jehoshaphat. This reservoir is fifty-three feet long, eighteen feet broad, and nineteen feet deep, though now there is usually no water remaining withia it. IVom this reservoir the water flows off" into the vale below furnishing water for the gardens which are constructed in terraces on the side of the valley. The water in both these fountains is the same. It is sweet, and slightly brackish, but not diagreeable.
7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong' and many, even -'the king of Assyria,
It is the common water now used by the inhabitants of the neighbouring village of Kefr Selwane — or the straggling village of Siloam. For a full description of this fountain, see Robinson's Bib. Research, vol. i. pp. 493-514. This fountain was probably formerly included within the walls, and furnished a part of the supply of water to the city. The meaning of this passage is this. The waters of Siloam denote the reign of Jehovah, as manifesting itself in the administration of the family of David — a mild, gentle, and munificent reign, beautifully represented by the unfailing and gently-flowing waters on which the happiness of Jerusalem Bo much depended. That reign a large part of the nation — the ten tribes — had rejected, and had set up a separate kingdom, and had sought the aid of the king of Damascus. The remainder— the kingdom of Judah — were in like manner now disposed to reject the aid of Jehovah, and sought an alliance with the king of Assyria — beautifully represented here by the river Euphrates. The waters of Siloam — a gentle, small, sweetly-flowing stream, represented the government of Jebdvah. The waters of the Euphrates — violent, rapid, impetuous, and overflowing, represented the government of Assyria. The one they despised — the other they sought and admired. The power of the kingdom of David was then feeble and decayed. That of the Assyrian monarch was vigorous, mighty, vast. They despised the one, and sought the alliance of the other. H And re" joice. That is, they confide in, and feel that in their protection they are Bafe. IT In Rezin. King of Syria. IT And Remaliak's son. Pekah — ^king of Samaria, ch. vii. 1. The crime here mentioned was peculiar to the kingdom »f Israel — showing that the prophet, in part at least, had reference to them. 7* The waters of the river. By the and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:
river in the Scripture is commonly meant the river Euphrates — as being by way of eminence the largest river with which they were acquainted; and also as being that distinguished by the fact that Abraham had lived beyond it, and crossed it. See Note ch. vii. 20. In this verse the image is kept up which was commenced in ver. 6. The Jews rejected the gentle waters of Siloah, and sought the alliance of a foreign king, whose kingdom stretched along and extended beyond the Euphrates. It was natural therefore ta compare the invasion of the land to the overflowing of mighty waters that would sweep every thing away. A similar comparison is found in Juvenal, who, in describing the introduction of Eastern customs into Rome, represents the Orontes as flowing into the Tiber:
The comparison of an invading army with an overflowing stream, or an inundation, is not uncommon. See Lucan's Phars. vi. 272. Hor. Car. iv. 14, 15, seq. IT Strong and many. Violent waves, and numerous. It means that a mighty host would come up upon the land. IT Even the king of Assyria* It has been supposed by many that this is a gloss or explanation which has crept into the text. There is no doubt that it expresses the true sense of the passage, but it is remarkable that Isaiah himself should furnish a literal explanation in the midst of a figurative description. IT And all his glory. Eastern kings marched in the midst of vast splendour. They moved with all the magnificence of the court, and were attended usually with their princes and nobles; with a splendid retinue; and with all the insignia of royalty. Such was the case with Xerxes when he invaded Greece; and such too with Darius, and with most of the Oriental conquerors. 'S And he shall come up
S And he shall pass through Tudah; he shall overflow and go over; he shall reach even to the
7 fulness of the breadth of thy land shall be the ttretchinfTs out of his toings.
&c. The figure of overflowing waters is here retained. To understand this, it is necessary to remark that the Euphrates annually overflows its banks to a very considerable extent. It rises in the mountains of Armenia, and flowing for a considerable distance in a region where the mountains are covered with enow, it falls into the level region of Mesopotamia or Syria, and flows through that region almost parallel with the Tigris towards the Persian Gulf. From its banks vast numbers of canals were made, as in Egypt, to receive the water, and to render the country fertile. By the melting of the snows in Armenia in the summer, the stream becomes greatly enlarged, and overflows vast portions of the adjacent country in a manner similar to the Nile. Usually the river is not very large. Otho says that on the 12th of March, when he crossed the Euphrates, it was not more than 200 paces in width, but in its height, it extends 500 or 600 paces into the plains on the right. Thevenot observes that near to Bir the Euphrates seemed no larger than the Seine at Paris, but was very large when it was swollen. At Babylon it is said to be about fout hundred feet in breadth. That it ovei^ows its banks, is abundantly attested by ancient as well as modern travellers. See
, Rosenmuller, and Gesenius on this verse. IF Its channels. This word means either brooks, or valleys, or canals, or channels of a river. The Euphrates flowed through a level region,
^ and it is not improbable that it had at various times made for itself many channels. Besides this there were many canals cut in various directions to convey its waters to the gardens, farms, &c. All these the prophet says would be full — and the water would extend even far beyond them.
neck; and the ^stretching out ol his wings shall fill ^the breadta of thy land, O Immanuel.
of an overflowing stream, or a deluge of waters. IT Eeach even to the neck. Chaldee, " They shall come even to Jerusalem." " The prophet compareu Jerusalem here," says Kimchi, " to the head of the human body. As when the waters reach to the neck of a man he is very near drowning, so here, the prophet intimates that the whole land would be deluged, and that it would be nearly utterly destroyed." The figure thus understood is a very sublime one. Jerusalem was situated on hillselevated above the surrounding country, and in reference to the whole land might be aptly compared to the human head. Thus Josephus (De hello, Lib. iii. ch. 2), describing Jerusalem, says,— • 'lepocToXvixa Trpoavitr^ovaa Trjs TTspioiKOV ttoans, ojffTTep fi Af£^oX^ trwjuaros — Jerusalem eminent above all the surrounding region as the head of the body. The country is represented as being laid under water — a vast sea of rolling and tumultuous waves — with Jerusalem alone rising above them, standing in solitary grandeur amidst the heaving ocean, and itself in danger each moment of being ingulfed. See a similar figure, Isa. xxx. 28:
His spirit is like a torrent overflowing It shall reach to the middle of the neck.
And so also Hab. iii. 13:
IT And the stretching out of his wings. This is a continuation of tne same idea under a new figure. The term wings is often applied to an army, as well in modern as in ancient writings. It denotes that the invading army would be so vast as, when expanded or drawn out, to fill the land. IF Shall Jill the breadth. Shall occupy the entire land, so that there shall be no city or tOMm which he shall not invaxie. t TAy
' i 9 Associate yourselves, O ye people, and *ye shall be broken^ in pieces; and give ear, all ye
land, O Immanuel. See Note ch. vii. 14. If this be understood as referring to the son of Isaiah that was to be born, then it means that the child Siras given as a pledge that the land would be safe from the threatened invasion. It was natural therefore to address the child in that manner — as reminding the prophet that this land which was about to be invaded belonged to God, and was yet under his protection. Its meaning may be thus paraphrased. * O thou who art a pledge of the protection of God — whose birth is an assurance that the land is under his care, and who art given as such a sign to the nation. Notwithstanding this pledge, the land shall be full of foes. They shall spread through every part, and endanger all.' Yet the name, the circumstances of the birth, the promise at that time, would all remind the prophet and the king, that notwithstanding this, the land would be still under the protection of God. — If the language be understood as referring to the future Messiah, and as an address made to hira, then by calling the land his land, it is intimated that it could not bo brought to utter desolation, nor could the country where he was to be bom remain wasted and ruined. It would be indeed invaded; the armies of the Assyrian would spread over it, but still it was the land of Immanuel; and was to be the place of his birth, and it was to be secure until the time should arrive for hira to come. The probability is, I think, that the address is here solely to the Messiah; and that the purpose of God is to fix the mind of the prophet on the fact that the MesjjiRji must come, as an assurance that the land could not be wholly and perpetually desolate. See Notes on ch. Til. 14.
v:; 9. Associate yourselves. In tlio previous verses the prophet had seen the A.ssyrian coming up on the land like
of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall bo broken in pieces.
an overwhelming flood. He looked upon the danger, and his mind was turned to the pledge of safety which God had given. The name Immanuel, and the promise connected with the giving of that name (ch. vii. 16), reminded him of the perfect safety of the nation — for it was a pledge that God was with them. See ver. 10. In view of this pledge of the protection of God, this verse is a spirited apostrophe to the mighty host that was about to invade the land. Though confederated and vast, yet they could not prevail. They should be scattered, much as they might be prepared for victory, for God had given a pledge that he would defend his people. IT Associate. There has been much variety among interpreters about the meaning of the original word used here. It may mean to be terrified, to be alarmed, as well as to associate or become confederate. The Vulgate and Chaldee render it, " be assembled, or congregated." The LXX, " Know, ye nations," &c. The Syriac, " Tremble, ye people," &c. Still the notion of associating, confederating, or tntering into an alliance, suits the connection better; answers to the parallelism in the latter part of the verse, and is equally consonant with the original. ^ Oye people. Ye people of Assyria. This is an apostrophe to the mighty multitudes that were to come up upon the land from that country. IT And ye shall be broken in pieces. That is, though the confederacy be mighty, yet it shall not prevail. It shall not accomplish that which you purpose — the entire destruction of the land of Judah. T Give ear, all ye of far countries. That should be particularly engaged in the confederacy-— Assyria, and the kingdoms ai lied with it. IT Gird yourselves. As if for war; that is, prepare yourselves thoroughly for conquest. See Note ch. V. 27. The repetition of thii
10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God Hs with us.
11 For the Lord spake thus ro me with ^a strong hand, and
fchows the excited and agitated state of the prophet's mind. It is a strong, emphatic mode of expression — denoting that they should be certainly broken in pieces notwithstanding the strength of their confederacy.
10. Take counsel together. This is an address to the same foreign nations. It refers to the designs which they would form to destroy the Jewish state. IT Speak the word. That is, give the command — to overturn the nation of the Jews. U It shall not stand. It shall not be accomplished. For God is with us. Heb. "For Immanuel." It indicates the confidence of the prophet in view of the promise and the pledge. His reliance was there. Though the enemies were strong and mighty; though the confederacy v/as formidable; yet his simple reliance was in the name Immanuel! In this he had confidence, in spite of all the violent efforts and designs of the foes of Judah. See Num. xiv. 9:
11. For the honi) spake thus. Spake that which immediately follows in the next verse. Warned him not to unite in the alliance with foreign kingdoms which the nation was about forming. IT IViih a strong hand. Marg. with strength of hand. That is, when the nand of God urged me. A strong prophetic impulse is often represented 63 being produced by God's laying his
12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all thejn to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; nei
hand on the prophet; or by his being thus, as it were, urged or impelled to it. Ezek. iii. 14: "The hand of Jehovah was strong upon me." 2 Kings iii. 15: " And it came to pass that when the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came upon him." Jer. xx. 7: " O Lord — thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed." See also Eccl. ii. 2-i. 1 Kings xviii. 46. 2 K::ngs iii. 15. Ezek. xxxiii. 22, xl. 1. Comp. Introd. § 7. 11. (3.) The meaning is, that the prophet was strongly, and almost irresistibly urged by the divine influence to say what he was about to say. ^ That I should not walk, &,c. That I should not approve, and fall in with, the design of Ahaz and of the nation in calling in the aid of the Assyrian armies.
12. Say ye not. Do not join in their purposes of forming a confederacy. Do not unite with the king and the people of Judah in their alarms about the threatened invasion by the kings of Syria and Samaria, and in their purpose to form an alliance with the king of Assyria. The reason why they should not do this he states in ver. 13, where he exhorts the nation to put confidence in the Lord rather than in man. There has been, however, great diversity in the interpretation of this passage. The LXX render the word "^^l^. q^sher, confederacy, by the word llK\rip6v — " every thing which this people say is hard." The Syriac, " do not say, rebellion," &.c. The Chaldee understands the word in the same sense. Lowth proposes to change the word ^^.h! qesher into ^"5^ qddhosh, because Archbishop Seeker possessed one MS. in which this reading was found; and he translates the passage;
ther '"fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
'' Say ye not it is holy, Of every thing of which this people shall say it is holy."
Tliat is, " call not their idols holy; nor fear ye the object of their fear; that is, the gods of the idolaters." But it is plain that this does not suit the connection of the passage, since the prophet is not reproving them for their idolatry, but is discoursing of the alliance between the kings of Syria and Samaria. Besides, the authority of one MS. without the concurrence of any ancient version, is not a sufficient authority for changing the Hebrew text. Most commentators have understood this word " confederacy" as referring to the alliance between the kings of Syria and Samaria; as if the prophet had said, * Do not join in the cry so common and almost universal in the nation, there is a confederacy between those two kingdoms; there is an alliance formed which endangers our liberty,— a cry, that produces alarm and trepidation in the nation.* Thus Ro- Benmiiller and Gesenius explain it. Aben Ezra and Kimchi, however, understand it of a conspiracy which they suppose was formed in the kingdom of Ahaz against him and the house of David; and that the prophet warns the people against joining in such a conspiracy. But of the existence of such a conspiracy there is no evidence. Had there been such a conspiracy, it is not probable that it would have been so well known as to make it a proper subject of public denunciation. Conspiracies are usually secret and concealed. I regard this, however, as a caution to the prophet not to join in the prevailing demand for an alliance with the king of Assyria. Ahaz trembled before the united armies of Syria and Samaria. He sought therefore foreign assistance — the assistance of the king of Assyria. It is probable that in this he was encouraged by the leaders of the peoplei and that this himself; and let him' he youi fear, and let him he your dread. 14. And he shall be for a would be a popular measure with the mass of the nation. Yet it implied distrust of God (Note ver. G); and therefore the prophet was directed not to unite with them in seeking this "confederacy" or alliance, but to op-* pose it. The word translated " confederacy," "*^)^. qesher, is derived from the verb "'^{^ qdshdr, to bind, to fetter; to enter into a conspiracy. It usually refers to a conspiracy, but it may mean a combination or alliance of any kind. Or if it here means a conspiracy, a union between Ahaz and the Assyrians may be regarded as a species of conspiracy, as it was an unnatural alliance; a species of combination against the natural and proper government of Judah — the theocracy. IT Neither fear ye their fear. Do not partake of their alarm at the invasion of the land by the united armies of Syria and Samaria. Rather put confidence in God and believe that he is able to save you. Comp. 1 Pet. iii. 13, 14, 15.
13. Sanctify, &LC. Regard Jehovah as holy; i. e. worship and honour him with pious fear and reverence. Regard him as the source of safety, and the true defence. Ahaz and his people sought for aid from Assyria against the armies of Assyria and Samaria. The direction here is rather to seek aid from God. IT Let him be your fear. Do not b«j alarmed at what man can do (ver. 12), but fear and honour God. Be afraid to provoke his wrath by looking to other sources of help when his aid only should be sought.
14, And he shall be for a sanctuary. The word translated sanctuary means literall/ a holy plate, a consecrated place, and is usual!/ applied to tho tabernacle, or to the temple. Ex. xxv. 8. Lev. xii. 4, xxi. 12, Jer. li. 51. It also means an asylum, or a refuge to v/hich one might flee in case of danger and be safe. See Ezek. xi. 16. Among all ancient nations, temples were re*
•sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling," and for a rock of offence/ to both the houses of Israel; for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many among them
garded as safe places to which men might flee when pursued, and when in danger. It was deemed sacrilege to tear a man away from a temple or an altar. That the temple was so regarded among the Jews is manifest. See 1 Kings i. 50, ii. 28. In allusion to this, the prophet says that Jehovah would be a sanctuary — that is, an asylum or refuge, to whom they should flee in times of danger and be safe. See Ps. xlvi. 1: " Grod is our refuge and strength." Prov. xviii. 10: "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." It is also well known that temples and altars were regarded as asyla among the Greeks and Romans. The reference here is rather to an altar as the asylum than to a city or temple, as in the other member of the sentence the same object is said to be a stone of stumbling — a figure which would not be applicable to a temple or a city. IF A stone of stumbling. A stone against which one should impinge, or over which he should fall. The idea is, that none could rnn against a hard, rough, fixed stone, or rock, without injuring himself. So the Jews would oppose the counsels of God; instead of making him their refuge and strength, they would resist his claims and appeals, and the consequence would be their destruction. It is also to be remembered that God is often represented in the Scriptures as a rock, a firm defence, or place of safety to those who trust in him. But instead of their thus taking refuge in him, they would oppose themselves to this firm rock, and ruin themselves. See Deut. xxxii. 4,15^ 18, 30, 31, 37. Ps. xix. 14, xxviii. 1, xxxi 2, 3, xlii. 9, xli. 2. Many of the ancient Jewish commentators applied this to (he Messiah. Gesenius in loco.
shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
16 Bind up the testimony, seal*" the law among^ my disciples.
It is also applied to Christ in the New Testament, 1 Pet. ii. 8. ^ A rock of offence. A rock over which they should fall. The English word offence had that meaning formerly, and retains it in our translation of the Bible. H To both the houses of Israel. To the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel; that is, to the wicked portion of them, net to those who were truly pious. IT For a gin. A net or snare to take birds. The idea is the same as in the former part of the verse. By rejecting the counsel of God; by despising his protection; and by resisting his laws, they would be unexpectedly involved in difficulties, as birds which are caught in a snare.
15. And many among them. Mary by the invasion under the Assyrian. Many were taken captive; many killed, and many were carried to Babylon. The repetition here of so many expressions so nearly synonymous is emphatic, and shows that it would be certainly done.
16. Bind up. This expression is one that is applicable to a volume, or roll of writing. Thus far the prophet seems to have had the roll of>ened which is mentioned in ver. 1. Now the prophecy is complete, and he directs to bind it up, or close it. Perhaps also it is implied that it would be ustiess any farther to address a rebellious and headstrong people. He had deliverei his message, but they disregarded it. IT The testimony. The message; especially that of which Uriah and Zechariah had been called to bear witness, ver. 2. Any message from God tb, how ever, sometimes called a testimony, aa being that to which a prophet bears witness. Ps. xix. 7. 2 Kings xi. 12. Deut. iv. 45, vi. 17, 20. 1 Kings ii. 3. Neh. ix. 34. ^ Seal. Bi^oks wer«
17 And yl will wait upon the the Lord, that hideth* his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
made in the form of rolls, and were often sealed when completed — as we seal a letter. The mode of sealing them was not by wax only, but by miiting them by any adhesive matter, as paste, or glue. Wax in warm climates would be generally rendered useless by the heat. The meaning here is, to secure, to close up — perhaps by passing a cord or string around the volume, and making it secure, denoting that it was finished. See Dan. viii. 26, xii. 4. IT The law. The communication or command which he had delivered, and which, being given by inspiration, had now the force of a lavj. IT Among my disciples. Most of the Jewish commentators suppose that the volume when completed by a prophet was given for safe keeping to his disciples, or to some employed to preserve it securely. The word disciples means those who are taught — and here means those who were taught by the prophet — perhaps the pious and holy part of the people who would listen to his instructions. The Chaldee translates this verse, " O prophet, preserve the testimony, lest ye testify to those who will not obey; seal and hide the law, because they will not learn it," 1 7. And 1 will wait upon the Lord. This is the commencement of a new subject. The prophet had closed his former message; but had seen that in regard to the great mass of the nation his exhortation had been in vain. He now says, that having delivered his message, he would patiently look to God alone. His hope was in him, though the nation looked elsewhere; and though calamities were coming, yet he would still trust in God only. "S" That hideth his face. This is a figurative expression denoting the withdrawing of his favour and protection. He would leave them, and give them
dren whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and for won. ders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwellelh in mount Zion.
to deserved punishment. Comp. Job xxiii. 9, xiii. 24. Ps. xliv. 24, x. 1, civ. 29. IT And I will look for him. I will expect aid from him, and will believe that his promises of final protection will yet be fulfilled. Comp. Hab. ii. 3:
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, But at the end it shall speak, and not lie: Though it tarry, wait for it; Because it will surely come it will not tarry.
18. Behold T, &c. By " signs and wonders," here, it is meant that they, by the names given them, were intended to teach important lessons to the Jewish people. Their names were significant, and were designed to illustrate some important truth; and especially the prophet here intimates that they were to inculcate the truth in regard to the presence and protection of God, to induce the people to look to him. Thua the name Immanuelf * God with us,' ch. vii. 14; and Shear-jashub, * the remnant shall return,' ch. vii. 3, were both significant of the fact that none but God could be the protector of the nation. And in like manner it is possible that his own name, signifying the salvation of Jehovah, had been given him with such a reference. But at all events, it was a name which would remind them of the truth that he was now inculcating, that salvation was to be found in Jehovah, ait^ that they should look to him. Names of children were often thus emblematic (see Hosea i.); and the prophets them selves were regarded as signs of impor tant events. Ezek. xxiv. 24. Comp. Note Isa. xx. 3. This passage is quoted with reference to the Messiah in Heb. ii. 13. IT Which dwelleth in Mount Zion. Mount Zion was the residence of the house of David or of the court, and it was often used to sig* nify Jerusalera itself. The sense here is, that God was the protector of Jeru«
19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that
Balem, or regarded that as his home. See Note ch. i. 8.
19. And when they shall say. When the people, instead of putting confidence in God, shall propose to apply to necromancers. In the time of Ahaz the people were, as they were often, much inclined to idolatry. 2 Kings xvi. 10. In their troubles and embarrassments, instead of looking to Jeho- VAn, they imitated the example of surrounding nations, and applied for relief to those who professed to be able to hold converse with spirits. That it was common for idelatrous people to seek direction from those who professed that they had the power of divining, is well known. See Isa. xix. 3, xxix. 4. It was expressly forbidden to the Jews to have recourse to those who made such professions. Lev. xx. 6. Deut. xviii. 10, 11. Yet notwithstanding this express command, it is evident that it was no uncommon thing for the Jews to make application for such instructions. See the case of Saul, who made application to the woman of Endor, who professed to have a familiar spirit, in 1 Sam. xxviii. 7-25. Among heathen nations, nothing was more common than for persons to profess to have intercourse with spirits, and to be under the influence of their inspiration. The oracle at Delphi of this nature v/as celebrated throughout Greece, and throughout the world. Kings and princes, warriors and nations, sought of the priestess who presided there, responses in undertaking any important enterprise, and were guided by her instructions. See the Travels of Anacharsis, vol, ii. 376 seq. ■iT Seek unto. Apply to for direction. IT That have familiar spirits. Heb. nisj* ohhoth. The word « familiar," applied to spirit, is supposed to have been used by our translators to imply that they were attended by an invisible Bpirit that v/as subject to their call, or that would inspire them when they nought his direction. The Hebrew
have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and that mut-
word is used to denote a necromancer •, a conjurer; — particularly one who w;ia supposed to have power to call up the dead to learn of them respecting future events. See 1 Sam. xxviii. 7-19. Deut. xviii. 11. The word is most commonly applied to women — as it was almost entir'^ly confined to womea to profess this power. Lev. xix. 31, XX. 6. 1 Sam. xxviii. The idea was, that they could call up the spirits of the dead who were supposed to have seen objects invisible to the living, and who could therefore inform them in regard to things which mortals on earth could not see. The Vulgate renders this by " Pythons, and diviners." A Python among the Greeks and Romans denoted one that had the spirit of prophesying, and was particularly applied to the priestess of Apollo at Delphi. The LXX render the place thus; * and if they say to you, seek the ventriloquists, lyyacrTpiiJivOovs, and those speaking from the earth, and speaking vain things, who speak from the belly,' 6? ek tyu KoiXias (p'ji}vov7iv. From this it is evident that the art of the ventriloquist, so well known now, was knov/n then, and it is highly probable that the secret of the art of the soothsayers consisted very much in being able to throw the voice with various modifications into different places, so that it would seem to come from a grave, or from an image of a dead person, that v»'as made to appear at the proper time, ir And unto wizards. The word used here — • D'^iSJ'Sj'^ — is derived from the verb ^"J^ to know; and means a wise man, a soothsayer, a magician, or one possessed with a spirit of divination. The arts of the magician or soothsayer were often the arts of one skilled in natural magic — acquainted somewhat with the laws of chemistry, and able therefore to produce appearances among an ignorant people that would surprise them. See Brewster's Natural Magic — where this art is fully explained. ^ That peep. This word is properij
ter; should not a people seek unto their God? for the livinac to the dead?
nsed of young birds, and means to thirp, to pip; and also to make a email noise by the gentle opening of the mouth. It is then applied to the gentle wJdspering which the ancients ascribed to departed spirits; the small, low, shrill voice which they were supposed to use, and which probably those attempted to imitate who claimed the power of raising them to the earth. It was believed among all the ancient nations that departed spirits did not epeak out openly and clearly, but with an indistinct, low, gentle, suppressed voice. Thus in Virgil:
timony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no ^light in them.
pars tollere vonem
-gemittis lacryinabilis imo
Auditur tutnulo, et vox reddita feitur ad aures. ^niad, iii. 39.
Umbras cum Sagana resonarint triste et acutum. Sat. Lib. i. 8, 40.
Thus Homer, speaking of the shade or spirit of Patroclus, says that it went with a whizzing sound, ^^^cto -erpiyvia. Iliad, "¥ — 101.
He said, and with his longing arms essayd In vain to grasp the visionary shade; Like a thin smoke he sees the spirit fly, And hears a feebia, lamentable cry.
This night my friend, so late in battle lost, Stood at my side a pensive, plaintive ghost.
So, also, Lucian says of the infernal regions, ' the whizzing shades of the dead fly around us.' See Gesenius in loc. and RosenmiUler. Also Bochart's Hieroz. Part I. E. iii. ch. 2, p. 731. IT And that mutter. The word used here ("^J^f kagha) usually means to meditate, to consider; and then to speak, to utter. It also means to sigh, to mourn, Jer. xlviii. 31, Isa. Xvi. 7; to coo, as a dove, Isa. xxxvii. 14, lix. 11; and then to roar like a Jion — not the loud roar, but the grumbling, the suppressed roar. Bochart. lea. xxxi. 4. The idea here is, probai>iy, that of gently sighing, or mourning j — uttering feeble, plaintive lamenta* i tions or sighs, as departed shades were i supposed to do; and this was probably I imitated by necromancers. By thua I feigning that they conversed with the j dead, they imposed on the ignorant I populace, and led them to suppose that they had supernatural powers. I ^ Should not a peifjde seek, &c. Is it not proper that a people should inquire of the God that is worshipped, in ordei I to be directed in perplexing ind em- I barrassing events? Some have understood this to be a question of the idolaters, asking whether it was not right and proper for a people to seek counsel of those whom they worshipped as God. I understand it, however, as a question asked by the prophet, and as the language of strong and severe rebuke. * You are seeking to idols, to the necromancers, and to the dead. But Jehovah is your God. And slioulc. not a people so signally favoured, a people under his peculiar care, apply tc him, and seek his direction?' IF For the living. On account of the affairs of the living. To ascertain what will be their lot, what is their duty, or what will occur to them. ^ To the dead. The necromancers pretended to have intercourse with the spirits of the dead. The prophet strongly exposes the absurdity of this. What could the dead know of this? How could they declare the future events respecting the living? Where was this authorized? Men should seek God — the living God — and not pretend to hold consultation with the dead.
20. To the lawMc. To the revelation which God has given. This is a oo« lemn call of the prophet to try every thing by the revealed will of God. See ver 16. ^ If they speak not. If the necromancers — those that pretended to have intercourse with the dead. IT According to this word. According tc what God has revealed. By tliis stand*
21 And they shall pass through it hardly bestead and hungry; and it shall come to pass, that, when they shall be hungry, they
ard all their pretended revelations were to be tried. By this standard all doctrines are still to be tried. IT It is hecause. There has been a great variety of criticism upon this verse, but our translation expresses probably the true idea. The word rendered here " because" "^'^r^SJ dsher, commonly denotes ** which," but it seems here to be used in the sense of the Syriac? Dolath, or the Greek on. ^ No light. Margin, morning. Heb. '^1'^ shahhdr. The word usually means the morning light; the mingled light and darkness of the aurora; daybreak. It is an emblem of advancing knowledge, and perhaps also of prosperity or happiness after calamity, as the break of day succeeds the dark night. The meaning here may be, * if their teachings do not accord with the law and the testimony, it is proof that they are totally ignorant, without even the twilight of true knowledge; that it is total darkness with them.' Or it may mean, * if they do not speak according to this word, then no dawn will rise, i. e, no prosperity will smile upon this people.' Gesenius. Lowth understands it of obscurity, darkness:
" If they speak not according to this word In which there is no obscurity."
But there is no evidence that the word is ever used in this sense. Others suppose that the Arabic sense of the word is to be retained here, deception, or magic. * If they speak not according to this oracle in which there is no deception.' But the word is not used in this sense in the Hebrew. The meaning is probably this: * The law of God is the standard by which all professed communications from the invisible world are to be tested. If the necromancers deliver a doctrine which is not sustained by that; and not in accordance with the prophe^'.c communi-
shall fret*' themselves, and curse* their king and their Goi, and look upward.
tions, it shows that they are in uttet ignorance. There is not even the glimmering of the morning twilight; all is total night and error and obscurity with them — and they are not to be followed.
21. And they shall pass. The people who have been consulting necromancers. This represents the condition of those who have sought for counsel and direction, and who have not found it. They shall be conscious of disappointment, and shall wander perplexed and alarmed through the land. IT Through it. Through the land. They shall wander in it from one place to another, seeking direction and relief. "IT Hardly bestead. Oppressed, borne down, agitated. The meaning is, that the people would wander about, oppressed by the calamities that were coming upon the nation, and unalleviated by all that soothsayers ar.d necromancers could do. IT And hungry. Famished — as one effect of the great calamities that would afflict the nation. ^ They shall fret themselves. They shall be irritated at their own folly and weakness, and shall aggravate their sufferings by self-reproaches for having trusted to false gods. IF Their king and their God. The Hebrew interpreters understand this of the false gods which they had consulted, and in which they had trusted. But their looking upward, and the connection, seem to imply that they would rather curse the true God — the "king and the God" of the Jewish people. They would hi subjected to the proofs of his displeasure, and would vent their malice by reproaches and curses, IT And look vpward. For relief. This denotes the condition of those in deep distress, instinctively casting their eyes to heaven for aid. Yet it is implied that they would do it with no right feeling, and that they would see there only the tokens of their Creatoi-'s displeasure.
22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of an-
22. And they shall look unto the earth. They would look upward and find no relief, and then in despair cast their eyes to the earth to obtain help there. Yet equally in vain. The whole image is one of intense anguish brought on the nation for leaving the counsel of the true God. IT And behold, &c. See Note ch. v. 30. ^ Trouble. Anguish, oppression, JT^^ tzar a, from ^*^ tziir, to oppress, to straiten, to afflict. This is a remarkable instance of the prophet Isaiah's manner — of a rapid, impetuous and bold Btyle of utterance. He accumulates images; piles words on each other; and deepens the anxiety by each additional word, until we almost feel that we are enveloped by the gloom, and see objects of terror and alarm on every side. IT Dimness of anguish. These words should be kept separate in the translation — '^f'l^ Cj^S'x: meupk, tzukd, darkness, oppression — accumulated epithets to heighten the gloom and terror of the scene. IT And they shall be driven to darkness. Heb. il'nS^ n?5!Jt1 a darkness that is driven, or that is urged upon itself; that becomes condensed, accumulated, until it becomes terrible and frightful. The idea is that of a driving tempest, or an involving obscurity (•^^P'? menudddh from fT^T ''^^^^^ to push, thrust, impel, urge on, as a driving storm). The prophet has thus accumulated every possible idea of gloom and obscurity and probably there is not any where a more graphic description of gathering darkness and trouble, and of the consternation of those involved in it, than this. So fearful and terrific are the judgments of God when he comes forth to punish men!
Tnia cljapter is a continuation cf the prophecy begun in ch. \'i!. and continued in ch. viit. It is composed of mingled threats and promises. Its characteristic may be said to be rays of light throron into the midst of shades. It promises comfort and deliverance, while at the same time it denounces the sins of tlie nation, and assures the nation that the anger of the Lord is not turned away. The previous chapter had closed, by describing a time of general calamity and darkness. This begina (vs. 1 — i) by showing that the calamity would not be so great as in former times. It would be mitigated- There would be light— particularly in the dark regions of Zebulun and Naphtali— the provinces lying most e?cposed to the Syrian invasion. This light or deliverance was connected with the birth of the promised child (vs. 6, 7); and the mention of this leads the prophet into a magnificent description of his names, character, and reign. The prophet then returns to the threatened destruction of Israel, and denounces the divine judgment against it. By the Syrians and the Philistines it would be invaded and destroyed, vs. 8—12. The effects of this, in cutting off their sources of strength, and producing general dismay and ruin, are described in the remainder of the chapter, vs. 13—21. The chapter therefore would impart consolation to the inhabitants of Judah, and is designed to confirm the promise that it should be safe from the threatened invasion. Comp. ch. viii. 1-4.
1. Nevertheless. Notwithstanding what is said in the previous chapter of the calamities -that are coming upon Israel. Hengitenberg renders this whole verse, " For darkness shall not be upon the land upon which there is distress; as the former time has dishonoured the land of Zebulun and the lard of Naph* tali; so shall the time come to honour it, the region on the border of the sea, by the side of the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles." IT The dimness. The Hebrev/ v/ord here denotes obscurity, or darkness; and is here used, as the word darkness often is in the Scriptures, to denote calamity or affliction. The dimness, or calamity here referred to, is that which is threatened, ch. viii. 21, 22. H Shall not be such. It shall not be unbroken darkness, and unalleviated calamity; but it shall be interrupted by the rising of the great light that shall shine on the dark land of Zebulun and Naphtali. IF In her vexation. The word " her" refers to the whole land of Palestine, to the afHiclions that came upon the v/hole region.
The word vexation, P^1^> means oppression, calamity, or being straitened, or pressed. "iT When at the first. In the former time, on a former occasion. •ir He lightly afflicted. The word here used, ''^1^) means properly to be or make light, or small; and in Hiphil, the form which occurs here, it often means to esteem lightly, to despise, to hold in contempt. 2 Sam. xix. 44. Ezek. xxii. 7. It probably has that sense here, as the design of the prophet is evidently to speak not of a light affliction in the former time, but of a grievous, heavy calamity — a calamity which would be well denoted by the expression, * he made them vile; he exposed them to contempt and derision.' The time to which reference is made here was probably the invasion of the land by Tiglath Pileser. 2 Kings xv. 29. 1 Chron. v. 26. In that invasion, the parts of Zebulun and Naphtali were particularly afflicted. " Tiglath Pile- Btr took Ijon — and Gilead, and Galilee, and all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria." 2 Kings XV. 29. This region had also been invaded by Benhadad two hundred years Defore the time of Isaiah, 1 Kings xv. 20, and there might have been a reference to these various invasions to which 9* this northern part of the land of Palestine had been subjected. H The land of Zebulun. The region occupied hj the tribe of Zebulun. This tribe was located between the sea of Tiberias. or the lake Gennesareth, and the Mediterranean. It extended entirely across from the one to the other, and as it was thus favoured with a somewhat extended sea-coast, the people v/ere more given to commerce than the other tribes, and hence mingled more with surrounding nations. ^ And the land of Naphtali. The region which wao occupied by this tribe was dire^itly north of Zebulun and of the sea of Galilee, having that sea and the tribe of Zebulun on the south and south-east; Asher on the west, and a part of the tribe of Manasseh on the east. "iT And afterward. That is, in subsequent limes — meaning times that v/ere to come after the prophecy here delivered. The previous part of the verse refers to the calamities that had come upon that region in former tim.es. The expression here refers to what was seen by the prophet as yet to occur. "iT Did more grievously afflict. '^*^22il. This verb has very various significations. It properly means to be heavy, to be grievous, to lie or fall heavy on any one, to be dull, obstinate; also, to be honoured, respected; i. e. of weight, or influence in society. It means in Hiphil, the form which is used here, to make heavy, or grievous; 1 Kings xii. 10, Isa. xlvii. 6; to oppress, Neh. v. 15; and it also means to cause to be honoured, or distinguished, to favour. Gcsenius. The connexion requires that it should have this sense here, and the passage means, that the land which hf had made vile in former times, or had suffered to be despised, he had purposed to honour, or to render illustrious by the great light that should rise on it. So Lowth, RosenmQller, and Gesenius translate it. See a similar use of the word in Jer. xxx. 19. 2 Chron. XXV. 19. 1 Sam. ii. 30. IT By the waf
ously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee ^of the nations.
of the sea. The sea of Galilee, or Gennesareth. All this region was in the vicinity of that sea. The word way here, T)*J"^ derekh, means towards, or in the vicinity of. The extensive dark region lying in the vicinity of that sea. Both those tribes bordered on the sea of Tiberias, or had that as a part of their boundary. IT Beyond Jordan.
This expression d'H"?.'! "^5?) means in the vicinity of Jordan — the land by the side of the Jordan, or perhaps that large region through which the upper part of the Jordan passed. It does not mean strictly on the east of Jordan, but rather the northern portion of the land. It is such language as a man would use who was describing the upper and imperfectly known regions of the country — the dark, uncivilized region through which the upper part of the Jordan flowed, and the word "13? > nere rendered beyond, means side — by the side of the Jordan. IT Galilee of the nations. This was sometimes called upper Galilee. It was called " Galilee of the nations," or of the Gentiles, because it was surrounded by them, and because the heathen were extensively intermingled with the Jews. In this region Solomon had given to Hiram, king of Tyre, twenty cities. 1 Kings ix. 2. Adjacent to this region were the countries of Phenicia, Tyre, and Sidon; and the people would naturally mingle much with them in commerce. The country abounded with hills and caverns, and consequently it was never possible completely to dislodge from the fastnesses the former inhabitants of the land. Strabo enumerates among file inhabitants of Galilee, Arabians and Phenicians. The inhabitants of this country are represented as having been bold and courageous, but as seditious, and prone to insolence and rebellion.— If it be asked here in what way this land had been made converaptible, or why it was regarded as
2 The *pecple that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the
an object of contempt, we may reply (1.) The district in which these two tribes dwelt constituted the border-land towards the heathen nations. (2.) Th« Galileans not only dwelt in the vicinity of the heathen, but a large number of them had actually remained in the country, and it had been found impossible to expel them from it. Judges i. 30-35. (3.) The Phenicians, with whom they held commercial intercourse, and with whom they dwelt intermingled, were among the most corrupt of the heathen nations. To this may be added, (4.) They were far from Jerusalem, and consequently the influence of religion may be supposed to have been less felt among them than among the other Jews. The true religion was in a great measure lost upon them, and ignorance and superstition took its place. Hence, in the New Testament they are spoken of as almost proverbially rude and ignorant.