THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
ISAIAH

Isaiah 8

1Isaiah prophesieth under a type the spoiling of Syria and Israel by the king of Assyria; 5and that Judah also shall be overrun by him. 9God's purposes irresistible. 11Comfort shall be to them that fear God, and trust in him; but mischief to idolaters.


1MOREOVER the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great 1roll, and write in it 2with a man’s pen 3concerning 4Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

1 Of the word roll, see the annotation at Ezra 6 on verse 2. See also Isa. 34:4, and compare Hab. 2:2; Rev. 5:1.

2 That is, write such a handwriting, as every man may read, or according to the manner in use, or after the common style or custom.

3 That is, concerning the name which thou shalt give unto thy young son, when he shall be born, it signifies this.

4 Or, Hastening to the spoil, he is speedy to the prey. The sense is: The king of Assyria shall come speedily, and spoil or plunder the Syrians and the Israelites. See the fulfillment of this prophecy 2 Kings 16:9. The thing, which the name of the son of the prophet signifies, is here recorded.

2And I took unto me 5faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah 6the son of Jeberechiah.

5 Or, credible witnesses. Hebr. I caused faithful witnesses to bear witness unto me. Compare Jer. 32:10, That is, such men as were able to bear witness that the prophet had made this prophecy, that no man hereafter would deny it or call it in question.

6 This is added here to distinguish him from other persons of quality that have also had this name, as appears 2 Kings 14:29; 2 Chron. 24:20; 26:5; Ezra 5:1; 6:14; Luke 1:5 and 67.

3And I 7went unto 8the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name 9Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

7 That is, gone into the bedchamber. Hereby is expressed in a modest way the copulation of the prophet with his wife.

8 That is, unto my wife, so called because of her husband’s office and calling, or because she was likewise a prophetess.

9 See verse 1.

4For before 10the child 11shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of 12Damascus and 13the spoil of 14Samaria shall be taken away 15before the king of Assyria.

10 Or, this youth, namely, the prophet’s young small son, verse 3.

11 That is, in a short time, for, when children are a year or two old, they begin with broken and imperfect words to call their father and mother. Samaria and Syria were subdued and wasted by the Assyrians about a year or two after this prophecy.

12 Damascus was the capital city of Syria, Isa. 7:8.

13 Observe well that the prophet here says, that the king of Assyria would take or carry away the prey of Samaria, but he says not that he would take the city. See 2 Kings 15:29; 16:9.

14 Samaria was the capital city of the kingdom of Israel, Isa. 7:9.

15 That is, in his presence, and for his benefit.

516The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,

16 Hebr. The Lord went on to speak unto me.

617Forasmuch as 18this people refuseth 19the waters of Shiloah 20that go softly, and 21rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;

17 As if he said: Because this people despise the promise of God’s help and assistance against those two kings (of whom mention is made in Isaiah 7) and will rather rely upon the great power of Assyria, imagining themselves that the help and assistance which I have promised them, is but a little brook, as is the brook of Siloah, but that the help of the Assyrians is as a mighty stream; therefore I will plague and destroy them by the Assyrians, as is said in verse 7.

18 Namely, the people of the Jews, or at least a great part of them, namely, those who gave no credit to the Word of God; for, among this people were yet some good and godly ones, whom the Lord calls His disciples, verse 16.

19 This was a water brook in Jerusalem, out of which sprang a fountain. See Psalm 46:4; John 9:7.

20 See the annotation Neh. 2:13.

21 That is, in the meantime that these two kings are cheerful, being confident that they would subdue the land of the Jews, therefore behold, etc., as follows in verse 7.

7Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up 22upon them the waters of the river, 23strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and 24all his glory: and 25he shall come up over all 26his channels, and go over all 27his banks:

22 Namely, upon the unbelieving Jews. See verse 6.

23 Namely, the waters of the river Euphrates. This is in contrast to the waters of Shiloah, verse 6.

24 That is, all his remarkable princes and chief captains, with their subjugated men and soldiers, of whom the king of Assyria boasts, Isa. 10:8, 13.

25 That is, he shall lift up himself, namely, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, of whom the prophet here speaks as of a great river. Other, it shall come up, namely, the river.

26 Namely, the people’s streams, or, their, namely, the nations.

27 See 26th annotation.

8And he shall 28pass through 29Judah; he shall 30overflow and 31go over, he shall reach even 32to the neck; and 33the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, 34O Immanuel.

28 Hebr. change, namely, from place to place.

29 That is, through the land of the Jews.

30 Namely, the land of the Jews.

31 That is, he shall speedily set upon and conquer all the fenced cities in Judah, as if his army were a flood or stream of waters. See the fulfillment hereof by Sennacherib in the days of Hezekiah, 2 Kings 18.

32 That is, till he besieges and straitens the capital city, namely Jerusalem. See 2 Kings 18:17. Yet thus may be also understood to be spoken of the great extremity into which the Jews would be brought, so that it would take very little, and all of them would be perished and be destroyed.

33 That is, the several parts of his army. Even at this day we use to call the parts of an army, the wings of it.

34 Or, O thou God, which art with us. As such is Christ called the Son of God, Who is the Head of His church, which was at that time in the land of Judah. See Isa. 7:14.

935Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye 36shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, 37all ye of far countries: 38gird yourselves, 39and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.

35 This is a speech directed to the king of Assyria, and other nations that had combined with him against the Jews, or against the church of God, but especially against the city of Jerusalem. In like manner it is a prophecy for the comfort and consolation of the godly that the Assyrians would indeed attempt to besiege Jerusalem, but that they would not subdue that city, or the kingdom of Judah, as they intended, but that they would be constrained to retreat from this with shame and disgrace. It is an holy irony, or a laughing to scorn, as likewise the same figure is used in the following verse. See the fulfillment of this prophecy, 2 Kings 19:35.

36 Or, smitten down or crushed to dust or powder, beaten to shivers, and so in the sequel. See Isa. 7:7.

37 Hebr. all remoteness of the land or, of the earth.

38 Namely, with your armor and sword, that is, prepare yourselves for war.

39 The sense is: Do whatsoever ye can, it shall be all in vain, ye shall effect nothing, seeing Immanuel, that is, God is with us.

1040Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and 41it shall not stand: for 42God is with us.

40 Namely, how ye shall subdue the land of the Jews.

41 As Isa. 7:7.

42 The prophet has respect to the Name of Immanuel, given to the Son of God, Isa. 7:14 and here verse 8. And he intimates here that Christ, Who is the Defender and Protector of His church, would defend and protect the kingdom of Judah, forasmuch as He had decreed to assume His human nature out of that tribe, before that all the government would and continue be utterly removed, or taken away from Judah. Some render it, for here is Immanuel.

11¶For the LORD spake thus to me 43with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should 44not walk in the way of this people, saying,

43 Hebr. with strengthening or taking hold of the hand; whereby may be understood the powerful working of the Spirit of God in the prophet, and in those who would follow him.

44 That is, that I with the godly Jews would not follow the manners and practices of this people, namely, of the greater part of this people at Jerusalem, forasmuch as they are wicked, in mistrusting the promise of God, and relying more upon the help of man, then upon the help and assistance of God, as they do.

1245Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom 46this people shall say, A 47confederacy; 48neither fear ye 49their fear, nor 50be afraid.

45 Namely, thou Isaiah, and all ye that fear the Lord, ye shall not say presently, as the greatest part of this people do: We will make a covenant with the king of Assyria against those other kings that do threaten and vex us, relying so much thereupon, as that they disparage the promises of God, yea utterly despise them.

46 Namely, these wicked, unbelieving Jews, who vilified the promises of God.

47 Or, as we speak today, a league, alliance.

48 That is, fear not that thing wherewith they seek to make you afraid. Or, do not fear as do this people.

49 Namely, the fear of this people, which is sore afraid of the great power of those two kings. See Isa. 7:2.

50 Other, make not the rest afraid.

1351Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let 52him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

51 That is, serve, as we are bound to serve such an holy God, namely, with a childlike fear and confidence, not doubting His promises. This is to be understood of the Lord Christ, Who is called here the LORD of hosts, of Whom further mention is made in the sequel.

52 That is, He it is Whom ye ought to fear, and of Whom ye ought to be afraid, when ye have provoked Him to anger.

1453And he shall be for a sanctuary; but fora a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence 54to both the houses of 55Israel, for a ginb and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

53 The Lord Christ shall also sanctify you by His blood and Spirit, and consequently your Glory and Comfort, Refuge and Defense, of which the outward sanctuary was a sign.

a Isa. 28:16; Luke 2:34; Rom. 9:33; 1 Peter 2:7.

54 That is, unto the two kingdoms, namely, of Judah and of the ten tribes. Yet understand this as such that the faithful of both kingdoms are not comprehended among them.

55 That is, of the people of Israel.

b snare, trap*

15And 56many 57among them shall stumble, and 58fall, andc be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

56 Namely, of the Israelites.

57 Other, many shall stumble at the same, or against the same, namely, Stone and Rock, or Net and Snare; or many of them shall stumble.

58 Namely, running against and stumbling at the Stone. For inasmuch as they would through unbelief reject the grace of God offered unto them, therefore it would tend to their greater condemnation.

c Mat. 21:44; Luke 20:18.

1659Bind up the testimony, seal 60the law 61among my disciples.

59 The words of this verse are a consequence or dependence on the words of God recorded in the 11th verse. And that which is here laid down, the Lord, namely, Christ, the Son of God, commands the prophet Isaiah to do. The sense is, that the testimony and the doctrine which God caused to be preached, concerning His grace, and notably the Messiah, would be unto all wicked and unbelieving persons, as a book or letter that is bound, sealed and shut, and would be only understood and received by those, who as His true disciples and scholars would be inwardly taught and enlightened through Him, by the power of the Holy Ghost. See Isa. 29:11; 54:13; Jer. 31:34; John 6:45.

60 Or, the doctrine.

61 Other, among those that are taught by me.

1762And I will wait upon the LORD, 63that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

62 Namely, because the Lord spoke unto me, etc., verse 11. As if he said: I will strongly depend upon God, and will surely rely myself upon His promises.

63 That is, Who, being justly provoked, has withdrawn His mercy from the wicked Jews, because He would punish them.

1864Behold,d I and the 65children whom 66the LORD 67hath given me 68are for signs and for wonders 69in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

64 These are the words of Christ (as appears clearly out of Heb. 2:13), Who comforts and strengthens here the prophet against the hatred of the wicked by His own example, as if He said: Doth shame and reproach befall Me in Mine own Person in the administration of My prophetical office, than wonder not, O Isaiah, that reproach and malice is inflicted upon thee.

d Heb. 2:13.

65 Namely, which are born of God, who diligently hear and meditate on My Word.

66 That is, God the Father, kindling and stirring up faith and obedience in them by My preaching, and by the powerful working of the Holy Ghost.

67 Namely, to teach and to save, John 6:37; 17:12; for, Christ speaks here.

68 That is, many do loath and abhor Us, and hate Us, because their wickedness is reproved by Us.

69 That is, among the Israelites.

19¶And 70when 71they shall say 72unto you, 73Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that 74peep,e and that 75mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? 76forf the living to the dead?

70 These are still the words of God unto Isaiah and to the godly Jews.

71 Namely, the unbelieving Jews or men of Jerusalem.

72 Namely, unto thee, Isaiah and to other godly ones, who believe in the true God.

73 Namely, how you and we shall be delivered from the enemies. See of these soothsayers, Lev. 19 on verse 31; Lev. 20 on verse 6.

74 Or, whisper.

e or chirp, as a bird

75 Or, mumble, that is, who utter their predictions in a dark, unintelligible voice.

76 The sense is: Shall those who are alive, inquire of the dead for themselves? As Saul has done it, 1 Sam. 28:11. Intimating, that this does not become the children of God. Other thus, Doth not a people inquire of their gods? for the living of the dead?, meaning, that it a reproof of the absurdity of idolaters who inquire of dead idols for the benefit of the living.

f Deut. 18:11.

2077To the law and to 78the testimony: 79if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is 80no light 81in them.

77 That is, to the books of Moses. See Luke 16:29.

78 That is, to the revelations, which the Lord has made unto the prophets, namely, they shall go to inquire or ask counsel.

79 That is, if they will not hear Moses and the true prophets and frame their lives according to their doctrine.

80 Or, no break of day. The Hebrew word signifies properly the dawn, that is, the light breaking forth, when the sun begins to rise, which is rather more a glimmering or twilight, then day. That is, they shall not be partakers of the heavenly light, and of the right understanding of Divine mysteries, as also of the grace of God, but shall be punished with all kinds of mental and physical miseries. See Job 18 on verse 18; Psalm 84 on verse 11. Other, then it is because there is no day-spring with them. Other, if not, let them speak according to that word, which hath no break of day, that is, those who despise the word of the prophets, and so make it appear, that they have no heavenly enlightening, let them speak according to the soothsayers or to the necromancers.

81 Hebr. with him, or in him, that is, with none of them all. He speaks of all the wicked Israelites as of one man. Also likewise verses 21 and 22.

2182And they shall pass through 83it, hardly besteadg and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and 84curse their king and 85their God, 86and look upward.

82 Namely, because they will not follow the counsel of God.

83 Namely, through the land of Judah and Israel, seeking for help and comfort. It seems that this must be applied to the days of king Zedekiah, when the city of Jerusalem was taken by the Chaldeans, 2 Kings 25:6, 7.

g beset with difficulties

84 Namely, because he did not defend or protect them.

85 Namely, because He has answered them not, when they called upon Him after their manner, namely, by sacrifices and image worship. Other, their gods.

86 Other, and shall look upward, namely, to see if any help would come unto them from God. However this looking upward would not proceed from faith, but from impatience, and being driven thereunto by the great extremity, 2 Sam. 22:42.

2287Andh they shall look unto the earth; and 88behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.89

87 Other, Also he shall look unto the earth, and behold, etc.

h Isa. 5:30.

88 The sense is: Whithersoever he turns or winds himself, he shall find neither help nor comfort.

89 Here some end this 8th chapter and include the 23rd verse as the 1st verse of chapter nine.