Isaiah 8:7 - Exposition

The waters of the river, strong and many. "The river" is, of course, the Euphrates, as in Isaiah 7:20 . In its lower course the Euphrates often overflows its banks, and inundates the adjacent districts, causing vast damage to crops, and some-limes threatening to break down the walls of cities. It is scarcely likely, however, that Isaiah had any acquaintance with this fact. His experience would probably have been limited to the "swellings of Jordan" ( Jeremiah 12:5 ; comp. Joshua 3:15 ). All his glory (comp. Isaiah 10:12 , Isaiah 10:16 , Isaiah 10:18 , etc.). He shall come up over all his channels. A graphic description of the swelling of rivers in the East. These, when they are low, contract their waters from the many channels, in which they ordinarily flow, into some one or two, leaving the others dry. The first effect of a flood is to fill all the channels, after which it may proceed further and overflow the banks.