Isaiah 9:1-21
(CONTINUED) 8. Jacob.. Israel] Both names here stand for the northern kingdom, as is made clear by what follows in the next v.... [ Continue Reading ]
(CONTINUED) 8. Jacob.. Israel] Both names here stand for the northern kingdom, as is made clear by what follows in the next v.... [ Continue Reading ]
1. RV 'But there shall be no gloom to her that was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time hath he made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the nations.' By the contempt brought upon the la... [ Continue Reading ]
WALKED IN DARKNESS] as described in Isaiah 8:21; Isaiah 8:22. HAVE SEEN] The light of the new age to which the prophet looked forward was of course in the future, but to his vision it is so assured that he describes it as having already dawned. Such use of the past tense (prophetic perfect) is frequ... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND_ NOT INCREASED THE JOY] So Heb. written text, ancient Greek versions and Vulg. But Heb. traditional reading, Syr., and LXX give 'increased the joy to it,' RV 'increased their joy'; and this reading is demanded by the context, where figures are multiplied to indicate excessive joy. The past tens... [ Continue Reading ]
STAFF OF HIS SHOULDER] i.e. with which he is beaten by the taskmaster. The dominion of Assyria shall be broken. AS IN THE DAY OF MIDIAN] referring to the memorable victory of Gideon (Judges 7:8). WITHOUT ME THEY SHALL BOW DOWN] rather, RV 'except they bow down,' or 'they shall only bow down.' Ironi... [ Continue Reading ]
READ, 'For all the armour of the armed man in the tumult, and the garments rolled in blood, shall be for burning, for fuel of fire.' After the great victory over the oppressor the weapons of war are burnt (Ezekiel 39:9) as a prelude to the era of peace which is to follow.... [ Continue Reading ]
From a general description of the future reign of peace the prophet goes on to picture the king upon whom it depends, and whom he apparently identifies with the child of Isaiah 7:14. Then he proceeds to indicate, the features of his rule by a series of majestic titles. WONDERFUL, COUNSELLOR] RM 'Won... [ Continue Reading ]
DAVID] The mention of David implies that the ideal king is to be of the lineage of David. The v. might be explained as a promise that the dynasty of the great king whom the prophet has in mind should reign in undisputed possession of the kingdom, and should not fail. The prophecy would in that case... [ Continue Reading ]
DIVINE JUDGMENTS ON THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL This section relates throughout to the kingdom of Israel. It belongs to the same period as the Chapter s immediately preceding, and treats of the ruin which Isaiah foresaw would shortly overtake the kingdom of the Ten Tribes: cp. Isaiah 7:16; Isaiah 8:4. The... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL KNOW] i.e. shall be taught by experience (Numbers 14:34).... [ Continue Reading ]
If the language is to be understood literally, the allusion is to the way in which the people set themselves to repair, and more than make up for, the devastation caused by invasion. But it is more likely that the prophet refers in a figure to the frequent changes of dynasty in the N. kingdom; no so... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ADVERSARIES OF REZIN] Perhaps we should read (with some Heb. MSS) 'the princes of Rezin'; the meaning would then be that the Syrian allies of Israel (Isaiah 7:1) will turn against it. This suits the context, for we read in the next v. THE SYRIANS BEFORE. JOIN HIS ENEMIES TOGETHER] RV 'stir up hi... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE] EM 'on the east.' BEHIND] EM 'on the west.' The point is that Israel is attacked on all hands.... [ Continue Reading ]
BRANCH] EV 'palm branch': 'palm-branch and rush'—a proverbial expression signifying high and low (Isaiah 19:15).... [ Continue Reading ]
Explanatory of the metaphorical language in Isaiah 9:14 : cp. Isaiah 9:20; Isaiah 9:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
BRIERS AND THORNS] figuratively put for evil men (2 Samuel 23:6).... [ Continue Reading ]
DARKENED] RV 'burnt up.'... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL] RV 'one shall': not to be taken literally as indicating the approach of famine, but a figurative prophecy of the ruin of the nation through anarchy and civil strife, as is made clear by the first part of Isaiah 9:21. ISAIAH 10:1. AND THAT WRITE, etc.] RV 'and to the writers that write per... [ Continue Reading ]