Isaiah 7

Chap. VII. Ver. 1—25. Deliverance promised to Ahaz, which is farther typical of salvation by the Messiah.—“The king of Judah and the royal family being in the utmost consternation,” on account of the invasion of their country by Rezin and Pekah, the kings of Syria and Israel, (see (2 Kings 16:5-7).) on this occasion the prophet is sent to assure them, that God would make good his promises to David and his house; so that, although they might be corrected, they should not be destroyed, while these remained to be accomplished. This is the subject of the 7th, 8th, and beginning of the 9th chapters. This 7th chapter begins with an account of the occasion of the prophecy, and then follows a prediction of the ill success of the Israelites and Syrians against Judah.

The particular period in which Ephraim (or Israel) should be no more a nation, is foretold, ver. 8. (viz. 65 years,) when this prophecy was punctually fulfilled by the total depopulation of their country by Esar-haddon, who gleaned away all the remains that had been left by former conquerors. From this period, the ten tribes were confounded with the people of Judah in the captivity, and with them have been comprehended, ever since, in the general name of Jews. (See note.) The period here referred to being, however, at the distance of more than threescore years, the king is allowed to ask a miracle, as Gideon had done formerly, ((Judges 6:36-42).) and Hezekiah did afterwards, ((2 Kings 20:8-11).) in assurance of immediate deliverance; but Ahaz not having confidence in the prophet, nor in his God, declines this, under a pretence of modesty, though, in fact, as his character shows, from a principle of unbelief.

The prophet then addresses himself, not to Ahaz personally, but to the house and family of David, and delivers what may be justly called (as it is by Chandler and Hurd,) a typical prophecy of the Messiah: “A virgin shall conceive,” &c. Lowth renders this in the present tense, conceiveth and beareth, which we can only admit upon the principle of the prophetic spirit realizing events yet to come, and calling things future as though they were really present. It is admitted, however, that the words might have a primary reference to some betrothed virgin that should now prove pregnant of a son: and before “this boy” should come to years of distinguishing “good and evil,” or right and wrong, the invaders should be destroyed, and peace and plenty, for a time, restored.

But this prophecy is here introduced with so much solemnity; the circumstances of it are so peculiarly marked, and the name of the child so emphatic, that, however applicable the terms might be to the case immediately in view, they must be allowed to refer chiefly to the great Deliverer, who was afterwards to be “born of a virgin,” and who, in the sequel of this very prophecy, (viii. 8.) is characterized as Lord, or prince of the land of Judah. We must always remember, that it is the manner of this prophet to connect temporal and spiritual deliverances together, and that frequently the view of the latter rushing powerfully on his mind, absorbs, as it were, the former.—(See Lowth’s Isaiah, Chandler’s Def. of Christianity, Hurd on the Prophecies, and Dr. J. P. Smith’s Messiah.) “With regard to the more immediate accomplishment of this prophecy, see (2 Kings 15:30). and xvi. 9. where we have an account of the captivity of Israel and Syria by Tiglathpileser, and of the death of Pekah and Rezin, all within three years after the date of this prediction.” Notwithstanding the prophet’s assurance of deliverance, Ahaz could not trust in God, but applied for aid to the king of Assyria, ((2 Kings 16:7-8).) upon which the prophet foretells the calamities about to ensue from this powerful ally, “the hired razor,” whose forces, aided by Egyptian auxiliaries, God would hurl, like so many swarms of insects, for the purpose of desolating all parts of his country, and plundering, or cutting off, all ranks of people, from the highest to the lowest.

“The remaining verses (21—25) contain a beautiful and pathetic description of a land utterly desolate and forsaken; ‘The vineyards and cornfields, before well cultivated, are now overrun with weeds, briers, and thorns; the pasture so rank, and the cattle left upon it so few, that a young cow, and a couple of sheep, having full range, shall yield abundance of milk to the scanty family of the owner: the thinly scattered people live, not on corn, wine, and oil, the produce of cultivation, but on milk and honey, the gifts of nature; and the whole land is given up to the wild beasts; so that the miserable inhabitants are forced to go out with bows and arrows, either to defend themselves against those wild beasts, or procure sustenance by hunting.’”?

(See Bp. Lowth and Dr. J. Smith.)

Notes on the verses

Chap. VII. Ver. 1 to 3, inclusive, are prose. Ver. 2. Syria is confederate with—Lowth, “Is supported by” Ephraim. Ver. 3. Sheer-jashub—means as in the margin. Ver. 1. Tails of these smoking firebrands—i.e. the remains of half-burnt twigs, which must soon expire.—Harmer. Ver. 8. Head of Syria.—Jubb transposes the former part of ver. 9. and renders, “Though the head of Syria be Damascus; and the head of Damascus, Rezin; and the head of Ephraim be Samaria; and the head of Samaria, Remaliah’s son: yet within threescore and five years Ephraim shall be broken that he be no more a people.” This renders the passage perfectly clear, and the prophecy received its full accomplishment when Esarhaddon carried away the remains of the ten tribes.

—Bagster.—That it be not—a people. This is reckoned from the second year of Ahaz. Jubb, in Lowth’s notes. That the land was not wholly stripped of its inhabitants before this period, see (Isaiah 34:6, 7, 33). and xxxv. 18. (2 Kings 23:19-20). Ver. 14. A sign.—This sign, as Bishop Hurd remarks, was to Ahaz a simple assurance of deliverance at hand; to the house of David a type of Christ and a pledge of full deliverance by him.—A virgin shall conceive.—Lowth, “Pur virgin conceiveth.”—IMMANUEL—or “Emmanuel;” that is, “God with us.” Matt, i. 23. Ver. 15. Butter (or cream) and honey—the usual food of children, and even grown persons, in times of prosperity, (2 Samuel 17:29).—That he may know.

Lowth, “When he shall know.” With submission, however, we should prefer rendering the particle lamed “for,” or, because of, as (Psalms 119:20). He would eat it, because he knew what was good. [Connecting this verse with the preceding and following, we may render with Dr. Judd and Lowth, “Behold the virgin (haalmah, as the word uniformly signifies) shall conceive and bear a son, and thou shalt call his name Immanuel; butter and honey shall he eat when he shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before,” &c. —Bagster. Ver. 20. A razor that is hired.—Namely, the king of Assyria. Ver. 23. Silverlings.—Lowth, “Pieces of silver.” Ver. 25. There shalt not come, &c.—Lowth, “Where the fear of thorns and briers never came, shall be for the range of the ox,”

&c. Chap. VII. Ver. 1. A great roll.—The papyrus (or Egyptian reed) of which, probably, the first paper was made, was always rolled; it would not bear folding. Lowth, however, renders this word a mirror; i.e. a polished metal tablet: so instead of pen he reads, “a workman’s tool.” —Maher-shalal-hashbaz—i.e. “Both nar to the spoil, he hasteneth the prey.” Lowth, “To hasten the spoil, to take quickly the prey.” —The first three verses of this chapter are prosaic. Ver. 6. Waters of Shiloah.—A small fountain and brook, just without Jerusalem, which supplied a pool within the city. [The brook and the river, as Bishop Lowth remarks, are put for the kingdoms to which they belong. So Juvenal, inveighing against the corruption of Rome by the importation of Asiatic manners, says, with great elegance, “the Orontes has been long discharging itself into the Tiber.”

And Virgil, to express the submission of some of the Eastern countries to the Roman arms, says, “The waters of the Euphrates now flowed more humbly and gently.” But the happy contrast between the brook and the river gives a peculiar beauty to this passage of the prophet; with which the simple figure in the Roman poets, however beautiful, yet uncontrasted, cannot contend.]—Bagster. Ver. 12. Say ye not, “a confederacy.”—Lowth, “Say ye not, It is holy,” &c., but, with Dr. Boothroyd, we prefer the common rendering.