Isaiah 9

Chap. IX. Ver. 1—21. A prophecy of the blessings of Messiah’s kingdom, and judgments denounced against the impenitent.—The first verse of this chapter connects intimately with the close of the preceding, from which it is improperly divided. There, the unbelieving Jews, who rejected God’s counsels, and even his Messiah, are represented as plunging deeper and deeper into the gloom of national troubles. Here is a dawn of better days, even in the parts most grievously afflicted by the invasion of Tiglath-pileser; namely, ‘lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, and that part of Galilee beyond Jordan.” ((2 Kings 15:29).) Here, it is predicted, should arise the first dawn of salvation by the Messiah. Here, accordingly, our Lord began his ministry, as St.

Matthew informs us, with reference to this very chapter. (See (Matthew 4:12-16).) Here “the Sun of Righteousness” arose, and spread his influences like the morning light, first over the land of Judah, and then through the Gentile world. His conquests are represented as no less extraordinary than those of Gideon over the Midianites. ((Judges 8)) But their success, in the gradual establishment of peace, and truth, and righteousness, throughout the earth, was to be effected, not by “the battle of the warriors,” but by the incarnation of the prince of peace. His first appearance in our world is, however, in the form of infancy; but as his character is developed, his dominion spreads, till it becomes supreme, universal, and eternal.

From ver. 8. of this chapter to the end of ver. 4. of the next, though broken by an improper division of the chapter, is one distinct prophecy; a beautiful piece of poetry, remarkable for its elegance and regularity. It relates chiefly, if not altogether, to the kingdom of Israel, and is divided into four parts, or stanzas, each threatening the particular punishment of some heinous sin; as of pride, in defying the divine judgments; also habits of vice, profligacy, and impiety, which, spreading like a conflagration, threatened to devour the whole country. To each part is added a distich, menacing farther judgments, and forming, as it were, the burden of the song. _ “ But for all this = anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Chap. X. Ver. 1—34. Judgment is denounced against all oppressors, and particularly against Assyria, from whom Israel is promised deliverance.—The first four verses of this chapter (as already intimated) are connected closely with the preceding. But the 5th verse begins a new and distinct prophecy, which is continued to the end of (Isaiah 12)The subject of it is, the invasion of Judah by Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and the destruction of his army. “That mighty monarch is represented as a rod in the hand of God to correct his people for their sins: and his ambitious purposes, contrary to his own intentions, are made subservient to the great designs of Providence. Having accomplished the work allotted him, the Almighty takes account of his impious vauntings, and threatens utter destruction to the small and great of his army, represented by the thorns, and the glory of the forest.

With this prediction the prophet consoles his countrymen. The close of the chapter gives a brief description of the march of Sennacherib towards Jerusalem, and of the alarm and terror which he caused everywhere as he hastened forward. The spirit, and the rapidity of the description, is admirably suited to the subject. You see the affrighted people fleeing, and the eager invader pursuing. You hear the cries of one city echo to those of another, and groan swiftly succeeds to groan, till at length the rod is lifted over the last citadel. In this critical situation, however, the promise of a divine interposition is seasonably renewed; the scene instantly changes, the uplifted arm of this mighty tyrant is at once arrested, and laid low by the hand of heaven; and the mind is equally pleased with the equity of the judgment, and the beauty and majesty of the description.”—Dr.

J. Smith.

Notes on the verses

Ver. 19. That peep.—Lowth, “‘Speak inwardly.”——For the living, &c.— We also prefer in the last clause, the translation of Dr. Boothroyd, (following the LXX.) “Should they seek concerning the living to the dead?” Ver. 20. Because there is no light in them.—Hebrew, “No dawn,” which is the obscurity of the morning: Lowth and others therefore translate, “‘In pie (meaning God’s word) there is no obscurity.”” If they reject this, it Ver. 21. ry shall pass through it—that is, the land, &c. Chap. IX. Ver. 1. Such as was in her vexation.—Here the Chaldee and Vulgate, Drs. Lowth and Mede, divide the chapters: but Bishop Lowth connects this with the preceding chapter, and renders, ‘But there shall not hereafter be darkness in the land which was distressed: in the former time he debased the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time he hath made it glorious; even the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the nations.”

|—Bagster.—In her vexation.—The same word as (in ch. viii. 22.) is rendered “anguish.”——When at the first, &c.—Different scenes of affliction are evidently here referred to in the invasions of the country, each increasing in calamity. y Ver. 8. And not increased the joy.—Our marginal notes here intimate a different reading; and Bishop Lowth remarks, that instead of la, “‘not,” eleven MSS. (two of which are ancient) read lo, “to him;” he therefore reads in the affirmative, * * “Siga hast increased their joy.” Ver. 4. The staff of his shoulder.—Lowth, “‘The staff laid on his shoulder.’* Ver. 5. For every battle of the warrior, &c.—The word rendered “‘battle,” occurs only in this place, and is of very doubtful meaning.

Lowth renders it, “greaves,” (i. e. leg-armour,) and reads the verse thus; “For the greaves of the armed warrior in the conflict, and the garment rolled in much blood, shall be for a burning, even fuel for the fire.” This learned critic mentions, that ‘a medal, struck by Vespasian, on finishing his wars, represents the goddess Peace, holding an olive-branch in one hand, and, with a lighted torch in the other, setting fire to a heap of armour.” Compare (Psalms 46:9).—Ezek. xxxix. Ver. 6. The government—that is, the key, and other ensigns of government. See ch. xxii. 22—The everlasting Father.—Some (as Dathe) read, *The father of eternity;” meaning, “the eternal.” But Lowth, and many others, following the LXX.

read, “The father of the future age;” meaning, the Christian dispensation. Ver. 9. And all the people shall know.—“Know what?” says Bp. Lowth, suspecting an error in the Hebrew text; but we conceive that nothing is wanting but to supply the pronoun it, as is often done; namely, that the word is from God. Su Gataker. Ver. 10. The bricks, &c.—The bricks of the ancients were, in general, of clay, dried in the sun; consequently, much inferior to stone. Ver. 11. Adversaries of Rezin—namely, the mi See (2 Kings 16:9). Ver. 12. The Syrians before.—“On the East.”——With open mouth.—The meaning is, that the Syrians, who had before joined with Israel, having fallen under the power of Assyria, now combined with that power to destroy them “with open mouth,”

like ravenous beasts. Ver. 16. The leaders… and ers that are led.—See margin; the former meaning either the priests, whose office it was; or the false prophets, who flattered them with success: the latter (they that are blessed) means certainly the people. Ver. 18. The briers and thorns, &c.—That is, it shall devour every thing. See (Ezekiel 20:47). Ver. 20. The flesh of his own arm.—The Alexandrine copy of the LXX. has “the arm of his brother;” and Secker suspected that, instead of zeroo, “his arm,” we should read reo, “his friend” or neighbour. This probable conjecture seems confirmed by the Chaldee, which has keerevaih, “his neighbour;” and is adopted by Bishop Lowth. |—Bagster.