ISAIAH CHAPTER 7 1) And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, [that] Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it. a) Ahaz: In this chapter begins a new prophecy under the reign of another king. The first five chapters were delivered in the times of Uzziah; and the vision in the sixth was in the times of Jotham, at the beginning of his reign; and what is said here, and in some following chapters, was in the time of Ahaz. Easton's revised Bible Dictionary: The son and successor of Jotham, king of Judah (2Ki 16:1; Isa 7:1-9:21; 2Ch 28:1). He gave himself up to a life of wickedness and idolatry. Notwithstanding the remonstrances and warnings of Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah, he appealed for help against Rezin, king of Damascus, and Pekah, king of Israel, who threatened Jerusalem, to Tiglath-pileser, the king of Assyria, to the great injury of his kingdom and his own humilating subjection to the Assyrians (2Ki 16:7,9 15:29) He also introduced among his people many heathen and idolatrous customs (Isa 8:19 38:8; 2Ki 23:12) He died at the age of thirty-five years, after reigning sixteen years (B.C. 740 and was succeeded by his son Hezekiah. Because of his wickedness he was "not brought into the sepulchre of the kings." 2Ch 28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father: b) Jotham: Easton's: The son and successor of Uzziah on the throne of Judah. As during his last years Uzziah was excluded from public life on account of his leprosy, his son, then twenty-five years of age, administered for seven years the affairs of the kingdom in his father's stead (2Ch 26:21,23 27:1) After his father's death he became sole monarch, and reigned for sixteen years (B.C. 759) He ruled in the fear of God, and his reign was prosperous. He was contemporary with the prophets Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah, by whose ministrations he profited. He was buried in the sepulchre of the kings, greatly lamented by the people (2Ki 15:38 2Ch 27:7-9). c) Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel: There was a confederacy (vs 2) between the king of Israel and the king of Syria against Judah. Gill: At the latter end of Jotham's reign, and the beginning of Ahaz's; these two separately came up against Judah, and greatly distressed and afflicted the kingdom, slew many, and carried others captive, (2 Kings 15:37) (2 Ch 28:5-7) but afterwards, in the third or fourth year of Ahaz, as it is said, they joined together to besiege Jerusalem, which this refers to, (2 Ki 16:5): but could not prevail against it. 2Ki 15:37 In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah. 38 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead. 2Ch 28:5 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. 6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. 2Ki 16:5 Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. 2) And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. a) house of David: Ahaz and his family. b) Ephraim: Judah is put for the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The other ten tribes are commonly referred to as Ephraim or the kingdom of Israel. c) his heart was moved, and the heart of his people: Ahaz and the people of Judah were moved with fear as trees shaken by the wind. The wind being the confederate armies of Israel and Syria. 3) Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field; 4 And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. 5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, 6 Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, [even] the son of Tabeal: 7 Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. a) Shearjashub thy son: His name means "a remnant shall escape or return". Easton's says perhaps Isaiah's eldest son. Gill says the Targum interprets this as a disciple of Isaiah and not his natural son. b) the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field: Outside the city of Jerusalem where, according to Gill, they washed and dried their garments and whitened them. There was also a lower pool (see Isa 22:9) and this was the upper one. c) be quite: Take head, be quite and fear not. Ex 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. d) the two tails of these smoking firebrands: Meaning the two kings who have confederated together to come up against Jerusalem. e) fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah: Which shows us what is meant by the two tails of these smoking firebrands (burnt end of a stick or fiery dart or arrow). Gill says that though these two kings looked fierce they were only smoke and the end of a firebrand burnt too the end. f) Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah: Gill says not three parties but two, Seria and Israel or Ephraim of which the son of Remaliah was king. g) taken evil counsel against thee: Which is told us in verse six. h) the plan: To besiege and breach the walls of Jerusalem and then set up their own king over Judah. i) the son of Tabeal: Tabeal = "God is good" 1) a man whose son was either in the army of Pekah or the army of Rezin and whom Pekah and Rezin proposed to make king of Israel j) It shall not stand: What these two kings planned would not come to pass. When the Lord says something will not happen then it WILL NOT happen. So that should have brought great comfort to the heart of Ahaz. Pr 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. 8) For the head of Syria [is] Damascus, and the head of Damascus [is] Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. a) Damascus was the chief city of Syria and Rezin was their king. The king of Syria would never be over Judah but only Syria. b) And it would be so far from Israel taking over Jerusalem that in 65 years they shall be broken. Samaria and Israel were taken captive into Assyria (2Ki 17:6; 18:1). 9) And the head of Ephraim [is] Samaria, and the head of Samaria [is] Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. a) Samaria: Gill: Samaria was the metropolis or chief city of Ephraim, or the ten tribes of Israel: and the head of Samaria [is] Remaliah's son; Pekah, son of Remaliah, was king of Samaria, as of all Israel. The sense is, that, until the sixty five years were ended, there should be no enlargement of the kingdom of Israel; Judah should not be added to it; Samaria should continue, and not Jerusalem be the metropolis of it; and Pekah, during his life, should be king of Israel, but not of Judah. b) If the king would not believe the words of the LORD then he would not be established either. 10) Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, 11 Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. 12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD. a) The Lord spake again unto Ahaz by the prophet Isaiah. b) the LORD thy God: Though Ahaz was a wicked man, yet the Lord was the God of Israel and Judah in general and Ahaz was Judah's king, thus he was the God of Ahaz. c) The Lord through Isaiah offers a sign to Ahaz that he might believe the Lord. Gill says because of Ahaz' unbelief the Lord through Isaiah offers him a sign that he might believe. It is unbelievers that require a sign. d) He tells Ahaz to ask for a any kind of sign in the earth or one that would appear in the heavens above. e) Ahaz said, "I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.": Will not ask for a sign from the Lord, saying that it would be tempting the Lord. However the Lord had offered a sign. Gill says, "so pretending religion and reverence of God; whereas, to ask a sign of God, when it was offered, could not be reckoned a tempting him; but, on the contrary, to refuse one; when offered, argued great stubbornness and ingratitude, as Calvin well observes." Gill says that Ahaz sought the help of the Assyrians against Israel and Syria, thus instead of trusting in God he trusted in the arm of the flesh and in men who were not godly. 13) And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; [Is it] a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? a) And he said: That is Isaiah said to Ahaz and his family and counsellors, etc. called the house of David, who, says Gill, were of the same mind as he was. b) It was one thing to weary men, said here to be a small thing, but to weary God was quite another matter. The act of wearing God was his refusal to accept the offer of a sign while pretending to be a man of great faith and not requiring a sign. 14) Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. a) The Lord was going to give the house of David a sign wheather they wanted one or not. It would be a sign in the earth and the heaven. The Lord God of heaven, the eternal Son of God would come from heaven and take upon himself human flesh and be born of a virgin, be crucified, buried in the earth below and rise and then ascend up into heaven from where he came. This promise assured their safety because the Messiah would come from the house of Judah, thus they must be preserved until his coming. The longer off it was the longer they must exist. b) virgin: Litterally. Some Jewish writer assumed the prophet was speaking of his wife or some kings wife, but Isaiah's wife had bore him children and hardly could be a virgin. No these words are litteral. The son spoken of here is the promised Messaiah and none else. b) Immanuel: This was the name given to the Messiah. From two Hebrew words, one being "el" or God and by interpretation means "God with us" or "with us is God." This is supported by the New Testament writters: Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Gill says, "the name is expressive of the union of the two natures, human and divine, in him; of his office as Mediator, who, being both God and man, is a middle person between both; of his converse with men on earth, and of his spiritual presence with his people." 15) Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. a) butter and honey shall he eat: We know that Messiah ate fish, etc. so this phrase is expressive of the place and time in which he was born, says Gill. Gill: As the Messiah Jesus no doubt did; since he was born in a land flowing with milk and honey, and in a time of plenty, being a time of general peace; so that this phrase points at the place where, and the time when, the Messiah should be born, as well as expresses the truth of his human nature, and the manner of his bringing up, which was in common with that of other children. "HAMJ" signifies the "cream of milk", as well as "butter", as Jarchi, in (Genesis 18:8), observes; and milk and honey were common food for infants. b) that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good: It sounds like to know to refuce the evil and choose the good was the result of eating butter and honey, which would suggest theat this was some sort of spiritual food. However Gill points out that Messiah was born a man and had to be nourished with proper food. As a man he had to choose and know to refuse the evil and choose the good. This is expressive of his human nature and not his divine nature. God does not to do anything, whether it be to eat of litteral food or some spiritual food in order to know to refuse evil and choose good. It is part of his nature. But as a man, Messiah had to grow up, be nourished, in order that he would refuse the evil and choose the good. When Jesus the Christ was twelve years old we read: Lu 2:46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. 16) For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings. a) Gill thought that perhaps the child here was Isaiah son, but the context does not seem to fit that. I guess he thought that might be the case because Messaih was so far in the future and yet the dimise of these tow kings was near and appeared to be during the time of the child. b) the land that thou abhorrest: Not the land of Judah but that of Israel and Syria, of which the kings of these two had confererated together againts Judah. It seems to me that the prophecy is saying that before Messaih comes these two kings would be brought to naught which certainly did happen. 17) The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; [even] the king of Assyria. a) Even though the Lord would protect Judah from Israel and Syria, yet the Lord would bring upon them trouble from the king of Assyria, from whom he attempted to get help (according to Gill). b) upon thy people, and upon thy father's house: Judah c) Ephraim departed from Judah: When the 10 tribes split off from the two. 18) And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the LORD shall hiss for the fly that [is] in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that [is] in the land of Assyria. a) come to pass: The time of the evil days spoken of in the previous verse. b) hiss for the fly: hiss = whistle or pipe. Denotes the ease at which the Lord can bring them by His providential power. c) the fly that [is] in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt: Gill: "The Egyptians, so called because their country abounded with flies; and because of the multitude of their armies, and the swiftness of their march; this seems to have had its accomplishment when Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt slew Josiah, put his son Jehoahaz, that reigned after him, in bands, placed Eliakim his brother in his stead, and made the land of Judah tributary to him, (2 Kings 23:29-35) though some think either the Edomites or Philistines, that bordered on Egypt, are meant; who in Ahaz's time invaded Judah, and brought it low, (2 Chronicles 28:17-19) or else the Ethiopians, that inhabited on the furthermost borders of Egypt, and the rivers of it; who either came up separately against Judah, or served under Nebuchadnezzar; (see Isaiah 18:1 20:1-5 37:9 2 Kings 24:2)." d) the bee that [is] in the land of Assyria: Gill: "The Assyrian army, so called because the country abounded with bees; and because of the number of their armies, their military order and discipline, and their hurtful and mischievous nature." 19) And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes. a) they shall come: The Egyptian and Assyrian armies. b) The desolate valleys made so by war. The holes of the rocks have been interpreted as the fortified cities which were upon the rocks. Example: Isa 16:1 Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion. {Sela: or, Petra: Heb. A rock} c) upon all thorns, and upon all bushes: Gill says, "In illusion to flies and bees." This has been interpreted as the unwalled towns and villages. May also denote the condition of the land after the invasion by the one before mentioned. d) Gill: "The sense is, that they should be in all cities, towns, and villages, whether fortified or not, and in all houses of high and low, rich and poor, in cottages and in palaces; there would be no place free from them, nor no escaping out of their hands." 20) In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, [namely], by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard. a) This is a prophecy of the destruction of the Jewish people by the Assyrians. The river is the Euphrates and not the Nile. Young's literal translation reads: "In that day doth the Lord shave, By a razor that is hired beyond the river, By the king of Asshur, The head, and the hair of the feet, Yea, also the beard it consumeth." American Standard Version: "In that day will the Lord shave with a razor that is hired in the parts beyond the River, even with the king of Assyria, the head and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the beard." b) The shaving shows the completeness of the Assyrian's invasion. Just as a razor takes away all of the hair, so the Assyrian's would carry off all that they would. 21 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep; 22 And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk [that] they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land. 23 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall [even] be for briers and thorns. 24 With arrows and with bows shall [men] come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns. 25 And [on] all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns: but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle. a) Gill: "In the days of Nebuchadnezzar, after the destruction of Jerusalem, when some poor men were left in the land to till it, (Jeremiah 39:10) for of these, and not of rich men, are the following words to be understood:" Jer 39:10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time. b) a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep: The scarcity of what is left in the land. c) for the abundance of milk [that] they shall give he shall eat butter: Gill says because the pastures have few animals that the sheep and cows that are there will produce more than normal and since there willbe few to sell milk to the abundance will be made into butter and will supply enough for the man and his family to live on. d) there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall [even] be for briers and thorns: Because there will be no one to till the land so it will become barren and waste. e) With arrows and with bows shall [men] come thither: Some have said to hunt, others said because of robbers, etc. f) all hills that shall be digged with the mattock: a mattock is a hoe. This is a place that could not be ploughed but only cultivated with a how, but there was no fear of being overrun by briers and thorns.