Isaiah 17:6

Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. YET GLEANING GRAPES SHALL BE LEFT IN IT - i:e., in the land of Israel. TWO OR THREE BERRIES IN THE TOP OF THE UPPERMOST BOUGH. A few poor inhabitants shall be left in Israel, like the two or three olive berries left on the top-most boughs, which it is not worth while taking the trouble to try to reach....

6._Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it. _This metaphor has a different meaning from the former; for as if the name of the nation were to be entirely blotted out, he had expressly foretold that nothing would be left after the slaughter. He now adds a consolation, and thus abates the severity of the destruction; for he declares that, although the enemies had resolved to consume and destroy everything, still some remnant would be left. In like manner the gleaning of grapes is never made so completely as not to allow some grapes or even clusters to remain, which were concealed under the leaves, and the olive tree is never so thoroughly shaken as not to leave at least some olives on the tops of the trees. Consequently, to whatever extent the enemies may rage, and even the vengeance of God may be kindled, still he foretells that the Judge, notwithstanding his severity, will reserve for him...

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...

YET GLEANING-GRAPES ... - They shall not all be removed, or destroyed. A “few” shall be left, as a man who is gathering grapes or olives will leave a few that are inaccessible on the topmost boughs, or the furthest branches. Those would be usually the poorest, and so it may be implied that those left in Israel would be among the poorer inhabitants of the land. TWO OR THREE - A very few - such as would be left in gathering grapes, or in endeavoring to shake olives from a tree. FOUR OR FIVE - A very few that would remain on the furthest branches, and that could not be shaken off or reached....

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

YET GLEANING GRAPES SHALL BE LEFT IN IT,.... In Ephraim or Jacob; that is, in the ten tribes, a few of them should escape, a remnant should be saved; comparable, for the smallness of their number, to grapes that are gleaned after the vintage is got in: though Kimchi interprets it of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who were but few, in comparison of the ten tribes, who were many; and Jarchi explains it of Hezekiah and his company, in the midst of Jerusalem, who were but few; and observes, that some of their Rabbins understood it of the few men that were left of the multitude of Sennacherib's army, when it was destroyed; but the first sense is best: and the same thing is signified by another simile, AS THE SHAKING OF AN OLIVE TREE; with the hand, when the fruit is ripe; or, "as the striking" q of it with a staff; to beat off the berries, when there are left TWO [OR] THREE BERRIES AT THE TO...

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

THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 32:27. Compare Joshua 9:18; Joshua 9:19; Joshua 10:40; Joshua 10:42, &c). See note on Isaiah 29:23. GOD OF ISRAEL. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 24:10; Numbers 16:9). Occurs in latter part of Isaiah ...

The fate of Ephraim, in three figures: wasting disease; the reaping of corn; the gathering of olives....