Isaiah 9:4

4. Thou hast broken In speaking of Messianic times the prophet sees things prospective as though past: but facts of those times he sees in a group, and all in the present tense, as in verse six.

Yoke of his burden “His” refers to Judah. From the Assyrian tributary burden upon him, the thought here rises to the complete unburdening of the future true Israel.

Staff Or, stick, for the yoke Oriental is merely such a pole across the neck of oxen.

Rod The symbol of the oppressor’s power, as the ox-goad (as the word may be interpreted) is the implement with which the driver asserts his power. All are broken together. The ground idea is, that of complete deliverance from the Assyrian rule for the time being. But the antitypical idea of the Messianic deliverance is that which mostly fills the prophet’s vision. This deliverance is to be the counterpart of the Egyptian, in which the whole of Israel was redeemed, though here spoken of the “remnant” only. But the result shall be as in the day of Midian. See Judges 7:0. In a worldly view, the delivering force is small, but it is God’s force, as it was in the days of Gideon. But who is Gideon’s antitype, through whom all this is to occur? It is not stated. But the reason for the cessation of Assyria’s oppression is given in the next verse.