_AHAZ, BEING TROUBLED WITH FEAR OF REZIN AND PEKAH, IS COMFORTED BY ISAIAH. AHAZ, HAVING LIBERTY TO CHOOSE A SIGN, AND REFUSING IT, HATH FOR A SIGN CHRIST PROMISED: HIS JUDGMENT IS PROPHESIED TO COME BY ASSYRIA._ _Before Christ 760._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, &C.— The _fifth_ sermon, which extends from this to the 13th chapter, is of a very mixed and various argument; partly doctrinal and redargutory, partly consolatory and prophetic. It may be divided into five parts: the first contained in this seventh chapter; the second from chap... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID THE LORD UNTO ISAIAH— Isaiah is ordered, with his son ישׁוב שׁאר _Shear-jashub,_ whose name signifies _the remnant shall return,_ (see chap. Isaiah 10:21.) to go and meet Ahaz at _the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the high-way of the fuller's field;_ a place of very public resor... [ Continue Reading ]
SAY UNTO HIM, TAKE HEED— The consolatory part of this discourse, concerning the deliverance of the city, extends from this to the 17th verse: in which we have, _first,_ a promise of the deliverance of Ahaz and the people of Jerusalem from the impending evil;—from this to the 10th verse. _Secondly,_... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, &C.— We have in these verses the grounds of the consolation given to Ahaz, namely, the overthrow of this expedition; with an admonitory caution to the Jews. Vitringa renders the 8th and 9th verses, _For Damascus shall be the head only of Syria, and Rezin the head of Damascus... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, THE LORD SPAKE, &C.— From the 10th to the 16th verse, we have the confirmation of the promise, by a sign to Ahaz in the name of God; in which we have, _first,_ the prophet's address to Ahaz, exhorting him by the divine command to ask whatever sign he would; Isaiah 7:10 with the reply of Ah... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, HEAR YE NOW, &C.— The prophet here reproves the hypocrisy of the king; and informs him, that the contempt which he shewed of the offer, was not a contempt of him, but of God. See Acts 5:4. 1 Samuel 8:7. Luke 10:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THE LORD HIMSELF, &C.— _Therefore,_ &c. _Behold a virgin conceives and bears a son, and she shall call,_ &c. Vitringa. There can be no doubt with Christians concerning the application of this text, when they refer to Matthew 1:22 where we shall have occasion to speak more largely concernin... [ Continue Reading ]
BUTTER AND HONEY SHALL HE EAT, &C.— _Cream and honey shall he eat, till,_ &c. The meaning of this verse is, that this child, called _Immanuel,_ should be educated in the common method; the cultivated fields, unoccupied by the enemy, abundantly supplying all necessary food; and that thus he should gr... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAND THAT THOU ABHORREST, &C.— _Distressed shall be that land, whose two kings thou art afraid of,_ or _distressed by._ The learned Vitringa seems to have proved beyond any doubt, not only the propriety of the interpretation given above, but also that the _child_ spoken of in this verse, can be... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SHALL BRING UPON THEE— _The Lord_ [_however_] _will bring,_ &c. Though the prophet in the name of God gives Ahaz and the people certain assurance of a deliverance from their present evil; yet, as Ahaz chose rather to confide in the king of Assyria than in the Lord of Hosts, the wretched con... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SHALL HISS FOR THE FLY, &C.— See the note on chap. Isaiah 5:26. It is not very strange, that languages should abound with figures and metaphors, or that prophesies should contain parables and apt similitudes. What man, who knows any thing of language or letters, would expect otherwise? Howe... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE DESOLATE VALLEYS, &C.— _In the waste valleys, and in the holes of the rock, and upon all thorny grounds, and upon all the well-watered places._ Schultens.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL THE LORD SHAVE WITH A RAZOR THAT IS HIRED, &C.— _Shall the Lord shave with that mercenary razor by them beyond the Euphrates,_ &c.—_And even the beard also shall be close shaven._ Schultens. The metaphor of a _razor_ is immediately explained by the prophet, who calls the _king of Assyria,_ emp... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS— The prophet intends here to denote the extreme desertion of the land, and in consequence the great growth of the grass and food, which there shall not be sufficient cattle to eat. Certainly, therefore, the few men remaining might themselves eat the fat of the land, when th... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY PLACE SHALL BE, &C.— _Every vineyard that hath a thousand vines, valued at a thousand pieces of silver, shall become in that day briers and thorns._ Lowth.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ON ALL HILLS— _And as to all the hills which used to be dressed with a mattock, there shall no fence of briers and thorns come there; but it shall let in oxen, and shall be trodden by the lesser cattle._ Vitringa. It was usual in Judaea to fence in their vineyards with briers and thorns. REFLEC... [ Continue Reading ]