Isaiah 7:25

RV 'And all the hills that were digged with the mattock, thou shalt not come thither for fear of briers and thorns.' Vines were usually grown on terraces on the hills of Palestine. Lesser cattle] RV 'sheep.'

The Syro-Ephraimite Invasion

The group of prophecies contained in this section belongs to the reign of Ahaz, when Judah was threatened by the allied forces of Syria and Israel (Isaiah 7:1; 2 Kings 15:37; 2 Kings 16:5; 2 Chronicles 28:5). With the reign of Tiglath-pileser, the Assyrian empire entered on a new epoch, that monarch aiming at bringing the whole of W. Asia under his sway. With a view to resisting the Assyrian advance and preserving their independence, Rezin, of Syria, and Pekah, of Israel, formed an alliance, and their war against Ahaz was apparently undertaken in order to force Judah to join the coalition, the immediate object of the invaders being to dethrone Ahaz and set over the kingdom one who would be willing to favour their projects (Isaiah 7:6). Isaiah foresaw that Syria and Israel were doomed to fall before the Assyrian power, and, therefore, exhorts to calmness, and confidence in Jehovah (Isaiah 7:4; Isaiah 7:8; Isaiah 7:16; Isaiah 8:4). Ahaz, on the other hand, was set upon seeking aid from Tiglath-pileser, a policy which Isaiah reprobated as indicating want of trust in Jehovah, and as certain to lay Judah also open to disaster from Assyrian inroads (Isaiah 7:17).

Isaiah 7:1. The occasion of the prophecies following.

3-9. In view of the panic caused by the Syro-Israelite invasion, Isaiah is sent to the king with a message of encouragement (10-16), which is confirmed by the sign of Immanuel.

17-25. The disastrous consequences of the policy of seeking aid from Assyria foretold.

Isaiah 8:1. The speedy ruin of Syria and Israel foretold by the sign of Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

5-8. The Syrian invasion of Judah foretold.

9-15. The nations' fear in the present crisis contrasted with the assurance that should spring from trust in Jehovah.

16-20. Isaiah's own confidence in his message. 21-Isaiah 9:7. The coming calamity and the bright future that lies beyond. Those parts of the land which first suffered from the Assyrian shall be correspondingly glorified, for the Messiah shall appear and the kingdom of David shall be established on an indestructible foundation.