Jacob … Israel. These words do not show that the prophecy is directed against the kingdom of Israel only. "Jacob" designates Judah rather than Israel in Isaiah 2:3 , Isaiah 2:5 , Isaiah 2:6 ; and the expression, "both the houses of Israel," in Isaiah 8:14 , shows that the term "Israel" embraces both kingdoms. Tim distinctive names by which Isaiah ordinarily designates the northern kingdom are "Ephraim" and "Samaria." read more
The evil spirit of defiance. The spirit which is here rebuked is that of a guilty defiance of God. Jehovah had visited Israel with the signs of his displeasure—had humbled and impoverished her. What attitude should she now assume? That of humility and amendment? Nothing was further from her mind. She would contend in her own strength against her fate, against the Lord who had abased her; she would show to him the futility of his correction. The bricks might be fallen down; it was of no... read more
THE PROPHET RETURNS TO THREATS AND WARNINGS , ADDRESSED CHIEFLY TO THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL . The remainder of this chapter, together with the first four verses of the next, seems to have formed originally a distinct and separate prophecy. The passage is a poem in four stanzas, with the same refrain at the end of each: "For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still." A somewhat early date has been assigned to the prophecy, as; for... read more
Persistent impenitence brings repeated chastisements. One would naturally expect that so weak a creature as man, when chastised by the Divine anger, would readily and at once " humble himself under the almighty hand of God," accept the chastisement as deserved, and entreat for mercy and forgiveness. But, weak as he is, man is unwilling to acknowledge his weakness, and, faulty as he is, dislikes nothing so much as acknowledging his faults. God's judgments he will net allow to be judgments,... read more
Even Ephraim ; rather, especially Ephraim . The prophecy is no doubt mainly directed against the northern kingdom. That say in the pride and stoutness of heart ; rather, in the pride and stoutness of heart , wherein they say . read more
The bricks are fallen down , etc.; i.e. we have suffered a moderate damage, but we will more than make up for it; all our losses we will replace with something better. Bricks were the ordinary material for the poorer class of houses in Palestine; stone was reserved for the dwellings of the rich and great ( Amos 5:11 ). Sycamore wood was the commonest sort of timber, cedar the scarcest and most precious, having to be imported from Phoenicia ( 1 Kings 5:6 ; 2 Chronicles 2:3 ; Ezra 3:7... read more
Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him . "Against him" means "against Ephraim," or the kingdom of Israel. "The adversaries of Rezin" could only be the Assyrians; but these seem precluded by the next verse, which mentions only "Syrians" and Philistines." Hence many critics accept the variant reading of several manuscripts sarey for tsarey—which gives the sense of "the princes of Rezin" (so Lowth, Ewald, Houbigant, Weir, Cheyne). read more
The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind ; or, the Syrians from the east , and the Philistines from the west . The Semitic races regarded the world as looking to the rising sun, and used for the east the preposition signifying "in front," for the west that signifying "behind." Syria seems to have been hostile to Samaria until the league was formed between Rezin and Pekah, and may have become hostile again after Pekah's death ( 2 Chronicles 28:23 ). We read of a Philistine... read more
The Divine anger. "For all this his anger is not turned away." The reference of the previous verses is to the calamities which are surely overtaking Rezin of Syria, and Pekah of Israel, as judgments on them, signs of Divine indignation, for their schemes against Judah. Rezin was threatened by Assyria; Pekah was threatened both by his former ally, Israel, and on the other side by the Philistines. As yet, however, these judgments had not proved effectual in humbling Rezin and Pekah, or in... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 9:7
The continuity of a kingdom founded on righteousness. "A King shall reign in righteousness." "Of the increase of his government and prosperity there shall be no end … To establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever." David's reign, as that of the first and most faithful theocratic king, is the imperfect earthly type of the ideal kingdom, founded on righteousness, and ruled in righteousness. Whatever may have been the personal infirmities of David, officially he... read more