Isaiah 17:11

In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. IN THE DAY SHALT THOU MAKE THY PLANT TO GROW - rather, 'In the day of thy planting' (Horsley) shalt thou make to grow. Maurer translates (Hebrew, sigseeg), 'Thou didst fence it'-namely, the pleasure-ground. The parallel clause, 'shalt thou make to flourish,' favours the English version. As soon as thou plantest, it grows. AND IN THE MORNING SHALT THOU MAKE THY SEED TO FLOURISH - i:e., immediately after: so in Psalms 90:14, the Hebrew, 'in the morning,' is translated early. (BUT) THE HARVEST (SHALL BE) A HEAP - rather, 'but (promising as was the prospect) the harvest is gone.' Hebrew, need, from nud, to flee (Ho...

11._In the day. _This denotes the incessant labor which is bestowed on plants and seeds. Yet we might understand by it the fruit which is yielded, as if a vine newly planted would immediately produce wine. And this agrees with the next clause, in which _the morning _is put for _the day. _This appears to denote sudden maturity, unless perhaps this also be supposed to denote carefulness, because from the very earliest dawn they will devote themselves to labor. The words are somewhat ambiguous; for some render them, “the removing of the branch on the day of affliction.” But as נחלח (_năchălāh_) means “an inheritance,” here, in my opinion, it literally denotes produce. It is not derived from חלה (_chālāh,_) and I do not see how the word “Branch” agrees with it. I grant, indeed, that as vines are mentioned, the word _Harvest _is employed ...

1-11 Sin desolates cities. It is strange that great conquerors should take pride in being enemies to mankind; but it is better that flocks should lie down there, than that they should harbour any in open rebellion against God and holiness. The strong holds of Israel, the kingdom of the ten tribes, will be brought to ruin. Those who are partakers in sin, are justly made partakers in ruin. The people had, by sins, made themselves ripe for ruin; and their glory was as quickly cut down and taken away by the enemy, as the corn is out of the field by the husbandman. Mercy is reserved in the midst of judgment, for a remnant. But very few shall be marked to be saved. Only here and there one was left behind. But they shall be a remnant made holy. The few that are saved were awakened to return to God. They shall acknowledge his hand in all events; they shall give him the glory due to his name. To...

IN THE DAY ... - Thou shalt cultivate it assiduously and constantly. Thou shalt be at special pains that it may be watered and pruned, in order that it may produce abundantly. AND IN THE MORNING - With early care and attention - denoting the pains that would be bestowed on the young plant. THE HARVEST SHALL BE A HEAP - The margin reads this, ‘the harvest shall be removed in the day of inheritance, rendering it as if the word נד _nêd_ usually meaning a heap, were derived from נוד _nûd_, to shake, move, wander; or, as if it were to be removed. Probably the translation in the text is correct; and the sense is, ‘When from the plant which was so beautiful and valuable, and which you cherished with so much care, you expected to obtain a rich harvest, you had only sorrow and inexpressible disappoin

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 17:1 THE BURDEN OF DAMASCUS. The eye of the prophet travels northwards from Moab, and, passing over Ammon as an enemy of small account, rests once more upon Damascus, already threatened in Isaiah 7:1, and probably already partially punished. Damascus is seen once more in alliance with Ephraim (Isaiah 7:3), and the two are joined with a new power, Aroer (Isaiah 7:2), which possesses several "cities." Woe is denounced on all the three powers: desolation on Damascus and Aroer; on Damascus and Ephraim, the complete loss of the last sh

IN THE DAY SHALL THOU MAKE THY PLANT TO GROW,.... Not that it is in the power of man to make it grow; but the sense is, that all means and methods should be used to make it grow, no cost nor pains should be spared: AND IN THE MORNING SHALL THOU MAKE THY SEED TO FLOURISH; which may denote both diligence in the early care of it, and seeming promising success; and yet all should be in vain, and to no purpose: [BUT] THE HARVEST [SHALL BE] A HEAP IN THE DAY OF GRIEF; or "of inheritance"; when it was about to be possessed and enjoyed, according to expectation, it shall be all thrown together in a heap, and be spoiled by the enemy: or, "the harvest" shall be "removed in the day of inheritance" w; just when the fruit is ripe, and going to be gathered in, the enemy shall come and take it all away; and so, instead of being a time of joy, as harvest usually is, it will be a time of grief and trou...

CHAPTER 17 The Burden of Damascus and Judgment upon Ephraim 1. _Damascus to be a ruinous heap (Isaiah 17:1)_ 2. _Judgment upon Ephraim (Isaiah 17:4)_ 3. _Woe to the enemies of Israel (Isaiah 17:12) _ Damascus was the ancient city of Syria, mentioned for the first time in Genesis 15:1. Syria and Ephraim had made common cause against the house of David. Tiglath-pileser, King of Assyria, executed the judgment upon Damascus and made of it a ruinous heap. But the judgment is also future. And the enemies of Israel, which trouble His people, will be troubled “in that day.” It is a solemn word with which this chapter

ORACLE ON DAMASCUS AND ISRAEL. In spite of the title this prophecy deals much more with Ephraim than Damascus, which is not mentioned after Isaiah 17:3. The close connexion of the two suggests that they have formed an alliance, and this is confirmed by the probable reference to Syrian forms of worship in Isaiah 17:10. The prophecy is therefore later than Isaiah 9:8 to Isaiah 10:4, when the alliance between Syria and Ephraim had not been formed. It must be earlier than 732, since at that date Damascus fell. We may perhaps fix the date a little more precisely. No reference is made to the invasion of Judah by the allied forces, so this had probably not

IN THE DAY. By day....

Continued from Isaiah 17:6. The rejection of Jehovah leads to failure and disappointment....