Isaiah 8:12

Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. The words of Yahweh. Verse 12. SAY YE NOT, A CONFEDERACY - rather. A conspiracy; Hebrew, quesher, an appropriate term for the unnatural combination of Israel with Syrian foreigners against Judea and the theocracy, to which the former was bound by ties of blood and hereditary religion (Maurer). Do not ye (the godly, such as Isaiah) join in the cry of this people for a "confederacy," which is rather a 'conspiracy,' by either surrendering to the associated king (Vatablus), or forming an alliance with the Assyrian king (Piscator), or deserting, as Shebna is thought to have done, to the Assyrian king () (Grotius). A combination of God's people, the Jews, with the pagan Assyrians, is regarded by God, the Head of the theocr...

12._Say not, a conspiracy. _First, we must consider what was the condition of that people, for they saw that they were not provided with numerous forces, and were not able to contend in battle against such powerful enemies. They longed for outward assistance, and eagerly desired to obtain it, for they thought that they were utterly ruined if they did not obtain the assistance of others. In this sense I understand the word _conspiracy_, that they thought it necessary to have the assistance of allies. The word _conspiracy _being employed by the Hebrews in different acceptations, and sometimes denoting a _bond_, I take it in a good sense. But some take it in a bad sense: “Behold thy enemies, the king of Israel and the king of Syria, have _conspired _together.” But I rather agree with those who apply it to the league and friendship which many unbelievers were desirous to contract with the As...

9-16 The prophet challenges the enemies of the Jews. Their efforts would be vain, and themselves broken to pieces. It concerns us, in time of trouble, to watch against all such fears as put us upon crooked courses for our own security. The believing fear of God preserves against the disquieting fear of man. If we thought rightly of the greatness and glory of God, we should see all the power of our enemies restrained. The Lord, who will be a Sanctuary to those who trust in him, will be a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence, to those who make the creature their fear and their hope. If the things of God be an offence to us, they will undo us. The apostle quotes this as to all who persisted in unbelief of the gospel of Christ, 1 Peter 2:8. The crucified Emmanuel, who was and is a Stumbling-stone and Rock of offence to unbelieving Jews, is no less so to thousands who are called Christi...

Verse Isaiah 8:12. _SAY YE NOT, A CONFEDERACY_ - "Say ye not, It is holy"] קשר _kesher_. Both the reading and the sense of this word are doubtful. The _Septuagint_ manifestly read קשה _kashah_; for they render it by σκληρον, _hard_. The _Syriac_ and _Chaldee_ render it מרדא _merda_, and מרוד _merod, rebellion_. How they came by this sense of the word, or what they read in their copies, is not so clear. But the worst of it is, that neither of these readings or renderings gives any clear sense in this place. For why should God forbid his faithful servants to say with the unbelieving Jews, It is _hard_; or, There is a _rebellion_; or, as our translators render it, a _confederacy_? And how can this be called "walking in the way of this people?" Isaiah 8:11...

SAY YE NOT - Do not join in their purposes of forming a confederacy. Do not unite with the king and the people of Judah in their alarms about the threatened invasion by the kings of Syria and Samaria, and in their purpose to form an alliance with the king of Assyria. The reason why they should not do this, he states in Isaiah 8:13, where he exhorts the nation to put confidence in the Lord rather than in man. There has been, however, great diversity in the interpretation of this passage. The Septuagint renders the word קשׁר _qesher_, ‘confederacy,’ by the word σκληρόν _sklēron_ - ‘Everything which this people say, is hard.’ The Syriac, ‘Do not say, rebellion,’ etc. The Chaldee understands the word in the same sense. Lowth proposes to change the word...

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 8:1 THE SIGN OF MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ. The sign of Immanuel was recondite. In its more spiritual sense it appealed to faith in an event far distant. Even in its literal import, it was not calculated to cheer and encourage more than a few, since neither the maiden nor the child was pointed out with any distinctness. A fresh sign was therefore given by God's goodness to reassure the mass of the people—a sign about which there was nothing obscure or difficult. Isaiah himself should have a son born to him almost immediately, to whom he should give a name indicating the rapid approach of the spoiler, and before this child should be able to utter the first words which childhood ordinarily pronounces, "Father," "Mother," Damascu

SAY YE NOT, A CONFEDERACY,.... With the king of Assyria, or any other; do not cry it up as a right thing, and express pleasure and satisfaction in it, and encourage others to come into it, and vote for it, and declare an approbation of it; or a "rebellion", as the Targum, that is, against Ahaz; and so deliver up the kingdom of the house of David into the hands of its enemies: TO ALL [THEM] TO WHOM THIS PEOPLE SHALL SAY, A CONFEDERACY: who either were for entering into an alliance with the Assyrian monarch, and sending for him to help; or were for joining with their enemies, to the subversion of the present government. Jarchi interprets this of Shebna the Scribe, and his company; who, as he suggests, conspired against Hezekiah, and secretly made an agreement with Sennacherib king of Assyria; but the former sense is best: NEITHER FEAR THEIR FEAR, NOR BE AFRAID: let not the same fear poss...

CONFEDERACY The reference is to the attempt to terrify Judah by the confederacy between Syria and Samaria. (Isaiah 7:1); (Isaiah 7:2)....

CHAPTER 8 Jehovah's Word Through Isaiah and the Assyrian Announced 1. _The divine instruction and Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isaiah 8:1)_ 2. _The Assyrian to come (Isaiah 8:5)_ 3. _The answer of faith (Isaiah 8:9)_ 4. _A word to the faithful remnant (Isaiah 8:11)_ 5. _The coming great distress (Isaiah 8:21)_ The names are significant. Isaiah heard the word “Maher-shalal-hash-baz,” and then is told to call his newborn son by this name. The name means “swift for spoil, hasty for prey.” Isaiah's other son was named “Shear-Jashub,” whic

MORE EXTRACTS ON THE CRISIS FROM ISAIAH'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. It is not clear how many bits of the autobiography are included here, but the section for the most part probably deals with the coalition of Syria and Ephraim. ISAIAH 8:5. Date of the earlier part about 735. The latter part (from and the stretching) is apparently a late addition. Judah despises the trickling waters of Shiloah, _i.e._ Yahweh's gentle working; her desire for measures less tame and more heroic shall be satisfied by the waters of the Euphrates, which shall burst their bounds and flood into Judah, reaching to the neck and threatening the existence of the nation. The reference is to the Assyrian armies (_cf._ Isaiah 28:9). Then with an abrupt transition and a change in metaphor we read of the sheltering wings protecting