Ahaz and friends unable to overthrow Jerusalem 1
The Lord's counsel to leave Judah alone 3
Ask for a sign 10
Sign given, virgin with child 13
Pests, humiliation and thorns 19
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| .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
.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. |
1 -
Days
of Ahaz Apparently near the beginning of his reign.
1 - Rezin "In the Assyrian inscriptions the name of Rezin, king of Damascus, is found among the tributaries of Tiglath-pileser, of whose reign the annals of seventeen years have been deciphered. For the historical facts in this chapter, compare 2Ki 15:37-16:9. Rezin of Syria and Pekah of Israel, as confederates, advanced against Jerusalem. In the first campaign they "smote Ahaz with a great slaughter" (2Ch 28:5)." (JFB Commentary) 2 - It was told Ahaz was informed. He was the living representative of the line of David. He and his people were frightened. They were frightened like trees shaken by the wind. Compare Belshazzar's fear da0506. Ahaz did not believe in God. |
| .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. 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. .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. |
3 -
Meet
Ahaz The dynasty of David was to be preserved ge4910,
2sa0712.
3 - Sherjashub The name means "remnant, return." 3 - Upper pool "out of the city, to the place where Ahaz was superintending the works for defense and the cutting off of the water supply from the enemy, and securing it to the city. So Isa 22:9; 2Ch 32:4" (JFB Commentary). See map of ancient Jerusalem. 3 - Conduit "an aqueduct from the pool or reservoir for the supply of the city. At the foot of Zion was Fount Siloah (Isa 8:6; Ne 3:15; Joh 9:7), called also Gihon, on the west of Jerusalem (2Ch 32:30). Two pools were supplied from it, the Upper, or Old (Isa 22:11), or King's (Ne 2:14), and the Lower (Isa 22:9), which received the superfluous waters of the upper. (JFB). 4 - Be quiet, fear not Ahaz would have been tempted to call on the rising Assyria for help. 7 - It shall not stand The plan of Israel and Syria was against God and would fail. ge4910, 2sa0712. The dynasty was not to end. |
| .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. .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? |
11 - Ask ... a sign Ahaz didn't want evidence that he was wrong. |
| .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.
15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. 15 He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows .... (NASB). .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. .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. |
14
- You Plural in Hebrew so meaning the house of David which,
in turn, represents the community of true faith. On God's people see also
2ki1921,
is3722,
is6205,
je1417,
la0115
where God's people are referred to as bethulah specifically meaning
a "virgin."
14 - Virgin From 'almah. Probably better translated here as "young woman" or "mature woman." It could have been Isaiah's wife although this is not the situation described in the future birth of Christ. Also see mt0122. 14 - Immanuel Meaning "God with us." The sign would be with them. His identity is seen at is0906 and is1101. In the context, Immanuel would deliver the people from their enemies. 15 - Butter and honey Or "curds and honey." This brings to view the promise of a land of milk and honey. ex0308. 17 - King of Assyria Ahaz had made a covenant with him but he would come as a destroyer. |
| .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.
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. .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. 21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep; |
18
- Hiss for the fly ... bee Call the armies. Turning to Egypt
was not God's plan is3001, is3101,
is3104,
is3733.
20 - Shave with a rasor that is hired The Assyrians would devastate Judah. The raisor action pictures great humiliation as well as completeness. 20 - Beyond the river The Euphrates jos2402. 21 - Young cow ... sheep The poverty of the land would be seen in the few animals that would be left. |
| .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. |
22
- Abundance The remaining people would also be few. Their
needs would be satisfied. This pictures God's blessing on the spiritually
faithful remnant.
25 - Shall be digged Rather "that used to be dug up." |
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