Isaiah 7:17

_THE LORD SHALL BRING UPON THEE, AND UPON THY PEOPLE, AND UPON THY FATHER'S HOUSE, DAYS THAT HAVE NOT COME, FROM THE DAY THAT EPHRAIM DEPARTED FROM JUDAH; EVEN THE KING OF ASSYRIA._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

17._The _Lord_shall bring upon thee. _Here the Prophet, on the other hand, threatens the wicked hypocrite, who pretended that he was unwilling _to tempt God_, and yet called for those whom the Lord had forbidden him to call to his aid. (Exodus 23:32.) That he might not indulge in undue exultation and insolence on account of the former promise, he likewise threatens his destruction, and declares that what he hopes to be his preservation, that is, the aid of the Assyrians, will be utterly destructive to him. (2 Kings 16:7; 2 Chronicles 28:16.) As if he had said, “Thou promisest everything to thyself from the king of Assyria, and thinkest that he will be faithful to thee, because thou hast entered into a league and covenant with him, which God had forbidde

17-25 Let those who will not believe the promises of God, expect to hear the alarms of his threatenings; for who can resist or escape his judgments? The Lord shall sweep all away; and whomsoever he employs in any service for him, he will pay. All speaks a sad change of the face of that pleasant land. But what melancholy change is there, which sin will not make with a people? Agriculture would cease. Sorrows of every kind will come upon all who neglect the great salvation. If we remain unfruitful under the means of grace, the Lord will say, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth for ever....

Verse Isaiah 7:17. _THE LORD SHALL BRING _- "But JEHOVAH will bring"] _Houbigant_ reads וביא _vaiyabi_, from the _Septuagint_, αλλα επαξει ὁ Θεος, to mark the transition to a new subject. EVEN THE _KING OF ASSYRIA._] _Houbigant_ supposes these words to have been a marginal gloss, brought into the text by mistake; and so likewise Archbishop _Secker_. Besides their having no force or effect here, they do not join well in construction with the words preceding, as may be seen by the strange manner in which the ancient interpreters have taken them; and they very inelegantly forestall the mention of the king of Assyria, which comes in with great propriety in the Isaiah 7:20 verse. I have therefore taken the liberty of omitting them in the translation.

THE LORD SHALL BRING ... - The prophet having assured Ahaz that his kingdom should be free from the invasion that then threatened it, proceeds, however, to state to him that it would be endangered from another source. THY FATHER’S HOUSE - The royal family - the princes and nobles. DAYS THAT HAVE NOT COME - Times of calamity that have not been equalled. FROM THE DAY THAT EPHRAIM DEPARTED FROM JUDAH - From the time of the separation of the ten tribes from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. EVEN THE KING OF ASSYRIA - This was done in the following manner. Though the siege which Rezin and Pekah had undertaken was not at this time successful, yet they returned the year after with stronger forces, and with counsels better concerted, and again besieged the city. This was in consequ

SECTION IV. PROPHECIES CONNECTED WITH THE SYRO-ISRAELITE WAR (Isaiah 7-10:4). EXPOSITION ISAIAH 7:1 THE PROPHECY GIVEN TO AHAZ AT THE TIME OF THE SYRO-ISRAELITISH WAR. The Syro-Israelitish war is touched on both in Kings and Chronicles. In Kings the alliance between Rezin and Pekah is distinctly declared, as also the fact that they conjointly besieged Jerusalem (2 Kings 16:5). From Chronicles we lear

THE LORD SHALL BRING UPON THEE,.... These words are directed to Ahaz; and show, that though he and his kingdom would be safe from the two kings that conspired against him, yet evils should come upon him from another quarter, even from the Assyrians he sent to for help, and in whom he trusted; in which the Lord himself would have a hand, and permit them in his providence, in order to chastise him for his unbelief, stubbornness, and ingratitude in refusing the sign offered him, and for his other sins; and the calamities threatened began in his time; and therefore it is said, "upon thee"; for Tilgathpilneser, king of Assyria, to whom he sent for help, instead of helping and strengthening him, distressed him, 2 Chronicles 28:20: AND UPON THY PEOPLE, AND UPON THY FATHER'S HOUSE; so in the reign of his son Hezekiah, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invaded the land of

CHAPTER 7 The Prophet before King Ahaz 1. _The king in trouble (Isaiah 7:1)_ 2. _Isaiah sent and his message (Isaiah 7:3)_ 3. _A sign offered and refused (Isaiah 7:10)_ 4. _The sign: The virgin birth (Isaiah 7:13)_ 5. _The advent of the Assyrian (Isaiah 7:17)_ Study carefully the historic setting of this chapter and2 Chronicles 28:1-27 7. See lecture on “Messianic Predictions.” In verse 14 the virgin birth of Christ is announced. Much of the controversy is around the word “virgin” (almah), which the critics declare does not m

THE DEVASTATION OF JUDAH. Probably an independent prophecy rather than a continuation of Isaiah 7:2; it strikes a very different note. It may belong to the same date, but may quite well be later. Disaster unparalleled since the revolt of the ten tribes (note the Southern point of view) is coming on Judah, an Assyrian invasion. Yahweh will whistle for the enemy, who will penetrate the most inaccessible retreats of the land, and humiliate and spoil the people. The population that will remain will be so scanty that very few cattle will yield an abundance of milk. The land will not be cultivated; the vineyards, where the most valuable vines grew, those worth a shekel apiece, will be overrun with briers. The thorn thickets will be the lurking-place of wild beasts, and cannot therefore be safely approached without weapons....

THE KING OF ASSYRIA. This was fulfilled in 2 Kings 16:7, and 2 Chronicles 28:19; 2 Chronicles 28:20....