8 And he shall not look H8159 to the altars, H4196 the work H4639 of his hands, H3027 neither shall respect H7200 that which his fingers H676 have made, H6213 either the groves, H842 or the images. H2553
Thy graven images H6456 also will I cut off, H3772 and thy standing images H4676 out of the midst H7130 of thee; and thou shalt no more worship H7812 the work H4639 of thine hands. H3027 And I will pluck up H5428 thy groves H842 out of the midst H7130 of thee: so will I destroy H8045 thy cities. H6145 H5892
They have set up kings, H4427 but not by me: they have made princes, H7786 and I knew H3045 it not: of their silver H3701 and their gold H2091 have they made H6213 them idols, H6091 that they may be cut off. H3772 Thy calf, H5695 O Samaria, H8111 hath cast H2186 thee off; mine anger H639 is kindled H2734 against them: how long will it be ere H3808 they attain H3201 to innocency? H5356 For from Israel H3478 was it also: the workman H2796 made H6213 it; therefore it is not God: H430 but the calf H5695 of Samaria H8111 shall be broken in pieces. H7616
When Ephraim H669 spake H1696 trembling, H7578 he exalted H5375 himself in Israel; H3478 but when he offended H816 in Baal, H1168 he died. H4191 And now they sin H2398 more and more, H3254 and have made H6213 them molten images H4541 of their silver, H3701 and idols H6091 according to their own understanding, H8394 all of it the work H4639 of the craftsmen: H2796 they say H559 of them, Let the men H120 that sacrifice H2076 kiss H5401 the calves. H5695
Israel H3478 is an empty H1238 vine, H1612 he bringeth forth H7737 fruit H6529 unto himself: according to the multitude H7230 of his fruit H6529 he hath increased H7235 the altars; H4196 according to the goodness H2896 of his land H776 they have made goodly H2895 images. H4676 Their heart H3820 is divided; H2505 now shall they be found faulty: H816 he shall break down H6202 their altars, H4196 he shall spoil H7703 their images. H4676
And none considereth H7725 in his heart, H3820 neither is there knowledge H1847 nor understanding H8394 to say, H559 I have burned H8313 part H2677 of it in H1119 the fire; H784 yea, also I have baked H644 bread H3899 upon the coals H1513 thereof; I have roasted H6740 flesh, H1320 and eaten H398 it: and shall I make H6213 the residue H3499 thereof an abomination? H8441 shall I fall down H5456 to the stock H944 of a tree? H6086 He feedeth H7462 on ashes: H665 a deceived H2048 heart H3820 hath turned him aside, H5186 that he cannot deliver H5337 his soul, H5315 nor say, H559 Is there not a lie H8267 in my right hand? H3225
Turn H7725 ye unto him from whom the children H1121 of Israel H3478 have deeply H6009 revolted. H5627 For in that day H3117 every man H376 shall cast away H3988 his idols H457 of silver, H3701 and his idols H457 of gold, H2091 which your own hands H3027 have made H6213 unto you for a sin. H2399
And the idols H457 he shall utterly H3632 abolish. H2498 And they shall go H935 into the holes H4631 of the rocks, H6697 and into the caves H4247 of the earth, H6083 for H6440 fear H6343 of the LORD, H3068 and for the glory H1926 of his majesty, H1347 when he ariseth H6965 to shake terribly H6206 the earth. H776 In that day H3117 a man H120 shall cast H7993 his idols H457 of silver, H3701 and his idols H457 of gold, H2091 which they made each one for himself H6213 to worship, H7812 to the moles H2661 H6512 and to the bats; H5847 To go H935 into the clefts H5366 of the rocks, H6697 and into the tops H5585 of the ragged rocks, H5553 for H6440 fear H6343 of the LORD, H3068 and for the glory H1926 of his majesty, H1347 when he ariseth H6965 to shake terribly H6206 the earth. H776
And so did he in the cities H5892 of Manasseh, H4519 and Ephraim, H669 and Simeon, H8095 even unto Naphtali, H5321 with their mattocks H2719 round about. H5439 And when he had broken down H5422 the altars H4196 and the groves, H842 and had beaten H3807 the graven images H6456 into powder, H1854 and cut down H1438 all the idols H2553 throughout all the land H776 of Israel, H3478 he returned H7725 to Jerusalem. H3389
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 17
Commentary on Isaiah 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 17
Isa 17:1-11. Prophecy Concerning Damascus and Its Ally Samaria, that is, Syria and Israel, which had leagued together (seventh and eighth chapters).
Already, Tiglath-pileser had carried away the people of Damascus to Kir, in the fourth year of Ahaz (2Ki 16:9); but now in Hezekiah's reign a further overthrow is foretold (Jer 49:23; Zec 9:1). Also, Shalmaneser carried away Israel from Samaria to Assyria (2Ki 17:6; 18:10, 11) in the sixth year of Hezekiah of Judah (the ninth year of Hoshea of Israel). This prophecy was, doubtless, given previously in the first years of Hezekiah when the foreign nations came into nearer collision with Judah, owing to the threatening aspect of Assyria.
1. Damascus—put before Israel (Ephraim, Isa 17:3), which is chiefly referred to in what follows, because it was the prevailing power in the league; with it Ephraim either stood or fell (Isa 7:1-25).
2. cities of Aroer—that is, the cities round Aroer, and under its jurisdiction [Gesenius]. So "cities with their villages" (Jos 15:44); "Heshbon and all her cities" (Jos 13:17). Aroer was near Rabbahammon, at the river of Gad, an arm of the Jabbok (2Sa 24:5), founded by the Gadites (Nu 32:34).
for flocks—(Isa 5:17).
3. fortress … cease—The strongholds shall be pulled down (Samaria especially: Ho 10:14; Mic 1:6; Hab 1:10).
remnant of Syria—all that was left after the overthrow by Tiglath-pileser (2Ki 16:9).
as the glory of … Israel—They shall meet with the same fate as Israel, their ally.
4. glory of Jacob—the kingdom of Ephraim and all that they rely on (Ho 12:2; Mic 1:5).
fatness … lean—(See on Isa 10:16).
5. harvestman, &c.—The inhabitants and wealth of Israel shall be swept away, and but few left behind just as the husbandman gathers the corn and the fruit, and leaves only a few gleaning ears and grapes (2Ki 18:9-11).
with his arm—He collects the standing grain with one arm, so that he can cut it with the sickle in the other hand.
Rephaim—a fertile plain at the southwest of Jerusalem toward Beth-lehem and the country of the Philistines (2Sa 5:18-22).
6. in it—that is, in the land of Israel.
two or three … in the top—A few poor inhabitants shall be left in Israel, like the two or three olive berries left on the topmost boughs, which it is not worth while taking the trouble to try to reach.
7. look to his Maker—instead of trusting in their fortresses—(Isa 17:3; Mic 7:7).
8. groves—A symbolical tree is often found in Assyrian inscriptions, representing the hosts of heaven ("Saba"), answering to Ashteroth or Astarte, the queen of heaven, as Baal or Bel is the king. Hence the expression, "image of the grove," is explained (2Ki 21:7).
images—literally, "images to the sun," that is, to Baal, who answers to the sun, as Astarte to the hosts of heaven (2Ki 23:5; Job 31:26).
9. forsaken bough—rather "the leavings of woods," what the axeman leaves when he cuts down the grove (compare Isa 17:6).
which they left because of—rather, "which (the enemies) shall leave for the children of Israel"; literally, "shall leave (in departing) from before the face of the children of Israel" [Maurer]. But a few cities out of many shall be left to Israel, by the purpose of God, executed by the Assyrian.
10. forgotten … God of … salvation … rock—(De 32:15, 18).
plants—rather, "nursery grounds," "pleasure-grounds" [Maurer].
set in—rather, "set them," the pleasure-grounds.
strange slips—cuttings of plants from far, and therefore valuable.
11. In the day … thy plant—rather, "In the day of thy planting" [Horsley].
shalt … make … grow—Maurer translates, "Thou didst fence it," namely, the pleasure-ground. The parallel clause, "Make … flourish," favors English Version. As soon as thou plantest, it grows.
in the morning—that is, immediately after; so in Ps 90:14, the Hebrew, "in the morning," is translated "early."
but … shall be a heap—rather, "but (promising as was the prospect) the harvest is gone" [Horsley].
in … day of grief—rather, "in the day of (expected) possession" [Maurer]. "In the day of inundation" [Horsley].
of desperate sorrow—rather, "And the sorrow shall be desperate or irremediable." In English Version "heap" and "sorrow" may be taken together by hendiadys. "The heap of the harvest shall be desperate sorrow" [Rosenmuller].
Isa 17:12-18:7. Sudden Destruction of a Great Army in Judea (namely that of the Assyrian Sennacherib), AND Announcement of the Event to the Ethiopian Ambassadors.
The connection of this fragment with what precedes is: notwithstanding the calamities coming on Israel, the people of God shall not be utterly destroyed (Isa 6:12, 13); the Assyrian spoilers shall perish (Isa 17:13, 14).
12. Woe … multitude—rather, "Ho (Hark)! a noise of," &c. The prophet in vision perceives the vast and mixed Assyrian hosts (Hebrew, "many peoples," see on Isa 5:26): on the hills of Judah (so "mountains," Isa 17:13): but at the "rebuke" of God, they shall "flee as chaff."
to the rushing … that make—rather, "the roaring … roareth" (compare Isa 8:7; Jer 6:23).
13. shall … shall—rather, "God rebuketh (Ps 9:5) them, and they flee—are chased"; the event is set before the eyes as actually present, not future.
chaff of … mountains—Threshing floors in the East are in the open air on elevated places, so as to catch the wind which separates the chaff from the wheat (Ps 88:13; Ho 13:3).
rolling thing—anything that rolls: stubble.
14. eventide … before morning—fulfilled to the letter in the destruction "before morning" of the vast host that "at eveningtide" was such a terror ("trouble") to Judah; on the phrase see Ps 90:6; 30:5.
he is not—namely, the enemy.
us—the Jews. A general declaration of the doom that awaits the foes of God's people (Isa 54:17).