Isaías 8
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Isaías 8
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS This chapter illustrates the problem of trying to outline poetic prophecy by stanzas. It is unsure how these stanzas are structured. It is even unsure to whom they are spoken! In chapters like this it is best to try to find the main truth of each stanza. Then see if there are any "key" repeated words or concepts. Be careful of pushing details into dogmatic or systematic theologies. Hebrew poetry is notoriously ambiguous. SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY Ambiguity is characteristic of Hebrew Poetry and Prophecy. Exegesis of the details kills the artistry (word plays, parallelism) and often loses the meaning in the minutia. These stanzas were originally separate. They were designed to be heard! They were meant to have an immediate emotional impact! Only with time, prayer, and progressive revelation do the truths become clear! SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHECY (OT) Isaiah 6-8 has many SINGULAR PRONOUNS. YHWH is addressing the prophet and he often addresses groups as collectives. WORD PHRASE STUDY
Isaías 8:1-4
8:1-4 Isaiah's second son (cf. Isa. 8:3) is a prophecy about the destruction of Judah's main invader (i.e. Syro-Ephraimite war), Syria (capital of Damascus). Damascus was captured by Assyria in 732 B.C. and the inhabitants of the land were exiled. In some ways Isaiah's second son parallels the promised child of Isa. 7:14-16. 8:1 "Take for yourself a large tablet and write on it" YHWH gives Isaiah two commands. "take," BDB 542, KB 534, Qal IMPERATIVE "write," BDB 507, KB 503, Qal IMPERATIVE (cf. Isa. 30:8; also note Isa. 8:16,20; 29:11-12), often used of an engraving tool, cf. Exod. 32:4,16; see SPECIAL TOPIC: SCRIBE Notice that what YHWH will reveal must be written for contemporary, as well as future, readers and that it will take a "large" (BDB 152) piece of writing material clay tablet seal (cf. Isa. 30:8) The Hebrew word (BDB 163) does not designate what kind of material (notice its use in Isa. 3:23, where it could refer to cylindrical seals worn around the neck, cf. JB footnote, p. 1155, and the IVP Bible Background Commentary, p. 594). It is not certain from the text if the message is long or that it is just a phrase written in large letters! "in ordinary letters" NKJV, LXX, NRSV, REB, JPSOA "with a man's pen" "in large letters" "with an ordinary stylus" "on it plainly" This is obviously an ambiguous phrase because it is the only place where this word for "man" (BDB 60) is used for an inanimate object (i.e. "in ordinary letters" is lit. "with the stylus of man"). YHWH wants His message recorded so that all His people can easily understand His message. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BIBLE (its uniqueness and inspiration) "Swift is the booty, speedy is the prey" NKJV, NRSV, JPSOA "Maher-shalal-hash-baz" "Quick loot, fast plunder" "to hasten the captivity, and to record the spoil" JB footnote "Speed-spoil-quick-booty" REB footnote "Speedy for spoil, hastening for plunder" This is the name of Isaiah's second son, "Maher-shalal-hash-baz" (cf. Isa. 8:3). The same two VERBS are in the sarcastic statement of Isa. 5:19. It may be YHWH's reaction to Judean arrogance. It had (as all Isaiah's sons' names) a prophetic meaning for the people of his day. It seems to refer to Assyrian invasion because of Ahaz's unbelief. This invasion overwhelms Judah as well as Syria and Israel. In Hab. 1:6-8 the same two VERBS describe the Babylonian invasion of Judah. 8:2 "I will take to Myself" "I will take for Myself" "have it attested for me" "take" "make" "I took to me" "find me" "I had it witnessed for me" "call" The VERB in the MT is "bear witness" (BDB 729, KB 795, Hiphil COHORTATIVE). The Dead Sea Scrolls, LXX, and Peshitta change the VERB to an IMPERATIVE and are followed by NRSV, REB. In context God is looking for two faithful witnesses (cf. Deut. 4:26; 30:19; 31:28) to corroborate His message (i.e. heaven and earth, see note at Isa. 1:2). The first named witness, "Uriah the priest" (his title normally denoted the current High Priest), is mentioned in 2 Kgs. 16:10-16 (in a rather poor light). The other witness (Zechariah, son of Jeberechiah) is not known unless it refers to the Zechariah of Uzziah's day in 2 Chr. 26. The NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 336, thinks it is Isaiah himself who wants the two witnesses to be present when he names his second son. ▣ "faithful witnesses" See SECIAL TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS IN THE OT 8:3 "I approached" NKJV, NRSV, LXX, Peshitta "I went to" "I had intercourse with" "I lay with" "I was intimate with" The VERB (BDB 897, KB 1132, Qal IMPERFECT with waw) denotes sexual contact (cf. Gen. 20:4; Lev. 18:6,14,19; Deut. 22:14; Ezek. 18:6). Again the question of "who" is pregnant in Isa. 7:14 arises. There are two main possibilities. the special child reflects an ideal Davidic king and, therefore, probably Hezekiah, Ahaz's son Isaiah may have been related to Ahaz, if so, his child could also be Davidic. The proximity of Isa. 8:3 to 7:14 makes Isaiah's second child a possible "near term" fulfillment. ▣ "the prophetess" This is obviously a reference to Isaiah's wife (JPSOA). She was also a prophet (BDB 612, FEMININE SINGULAR) was married to a prophet. SPECIAL TOPIC: WOMEN IN THE BIBLE SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHECY (OT) 8:4 This seems to parallel the time frame and message of Isa. 7:15-16 (and Isa. 8:4). Isaiah's son's name depicts this very event by Assyria (cf. Isa. 10:5-7).
Isaías 8:5-8
8:5-6 This stanza continues the message of YHWH's judgment on Syria and Israel by Assyria, but adds the terrible results that will also affect Judah (i.e. Jerusalem spared, cf. Isa. 8:8b). She will not be destroyed, but only barely survive. 8:6 "these people" To whom does this refer? Israel Judah The answer is found in Isa. 8:6b. Judah did not rejoice in Rezin, but Israel ("son of Remaliah") made a political and military alliance with him (cf. Isa. 7:4-5,8,9). Therefore, Isa. 8:7 must refer to the destruction of not only Damascus (cf. Isa. 7:20), but Samaria (i.e. Israel). It is possible it refers to a group within Judah who wanted to join the coalition. Motyer, in Tyndale Old Testament Commentary Series (p. 81), notes that the phrase "this people" can refer to Judah, 28:14 a foreign power, 23:13 Israel, 9:16 (and here) ▣ "the gently flowing waters of Shiloh" This was a small wadi east of Jerusalem which carried the water from the spring Gihon into the city (cf. 2 Kgs. 20:20; 2 Chr. 32:30). It is a symbol of YHWH's neglected acts or words (cf. Isa. 5:24; 30:12) YHWH's provision for Jerusalem, the house of David, Judah, during a siege. ▣ "And rejoice in Rezin and the son of Remaliah" Syria was a part of the conspiracy to overthrow the throne of David (cf. Isa. 7:6). Israel had put her trust in political and military alliances instead of YHWH. ▣ "rejoice" This term (BDB 965) means "exult" or "rejoice," which does not fit the context. It is possible that it was chosen to fit the poetry of the verse, not the dictionary. The VERBS "reject," Isa. 8:6 and "rejoice," Isa. 8:6, sound similarly. This prophecy would have been read aloud. There are several theories about who it refers to. Damascus' joy a group of Judeans who oppose Ahaz's Assyrian alliance "melt" in fear, not rejoice (emendation) Judah's joy at Assyria invading Syria and Israel Obviously the context is uncertain as to whom it refers. 8:7 "the Lord is about to bring on them" YHWH is in control of history (cf. Isa. 5:26; 7:7,18; 10:5; 13:2-3; Dan. 2). History is not random, but teleological. It has a terminus point. History moves by the consequences of human sin and the purposes of God! ▣ "waters of the Euphrates" This is one of the two main rivers of Mesopotamia. The Tigris and Euphrates formed a fertile crescent that reached from the Persian Gulf to close to the coast of the Mediterranean in Lebanon. A desert separated the empires of Mesopotamia (i.e. Assyria and Babylon) from Canaan. Therefore, the armies followed the headwaters of the Euphrates and moved down the coast lands of Lebanon and Canaan. This geographical route became the source of the biblical imagery of the "north" as the direction of evil. 8:8 This verse shows the consequences of an Assyrian takeover of Canaan. Judah will survive as a nation, but just barely (i.e. flood waters up to her neck). Ahaz did not listen to Isaiah, did not believe in YHWH's promises (i.e. Isa. 7:9b). ▣ "the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land" The NASB, NRSV, NJB, REB link this to the destruction caused by Assyria ("wing" used as imagery for "end," cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 670, thereby denoting the invasion of all the land). The TEV and JPSOA take the imagery (i.e. from a flood to describe an Assyrian invasion) as the spreading of a bird's wings (BDB 642 CONSTRUCT BDB 489, cf. Isa. 8:8; Ps. 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 61:1,4; 63:7; 91:1,4) to relate to God's promised special child of Isa. 7:14; also note Isa. 8:9-10! See SPECIAL TOPIC: SHADOW AS A METAPHOR FOR CARE By noting that the promise was related to a conditional covenant which demanded faith and obedience (i.e. Isa. 7:9b). Without faith, Jerusalem's divine protection would send the wrong message (similar to people today seeing the state of Israel as a divine act of restoration, but the problem is she is not a faith-oriented or faithful-living covenant people)! Israel today is secular! SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT ▣ "O Immanuel" The JPSOA and TEV use this title, found at the end of v. 8 in the MT, to divide verse 8 into two subjects. Judah's invastion by Assyria, Isa. 8:8a,b YHWH's Messiah's care for Judah, Isa. 8:8c-e (cf. vv. 9-10) other translations see v. 8 as imagery for judgment on Judah a flood predatory birds The title here refers to the Davidic king at the time (i.e. Ahaz). This may be a textual evidence that the child of Isa. 7:14 was Hezekiah, or a child of Isaiah. Ultimately, it refers to Jesus, but in Isaiah it had to refer to a contemporary, naturally conceived male child of the Royal Line (i.e. Isa. 7:15-16) SPECIAL TOPIC: IMMANUEL'S PRSON AND REIGN
Isaías 8:9-10
8:9-10 The NASB of 1970 thought that verses 9-15 were one stanza, but the NASB 1995 Update makes Isa. 8:9-10 a separate stanza (I think rightly so, cf. NKJV, NRSV, Peshitta). YHWH addresses the invading mercenary army. be broken, Isa. 8:9, BDB 949, KB 1270, Qal IMPERATIVE be shattered or "be dismayed," Isa. 8:9, BDB 369, KB 365, Qal IMPERATIVE, cf. Isa. 7:8; 30:31; 1 Sam. 2:10; Jer. 48:1,2; 49:37; 50:2; 51:56 give ear, Isa. 8:9, BDB 24, KB 27, Hiphil IMPERATIVE gird yourselves (twice), Isa. 8:9, BDB 25, KB 28, Hithpael IMPERATIVE be shattered, same as #2 (VERB used three times in v. 9) devise a plan, Isa. 8:10, BDB 734, KB 801, Qal IMPERATIVE state a proposal, Isa. 8:10, BDB 180, KB 210, Piel IMPERATIVE For each action of the invaders there is an opposing plan of God. All their evil will come to naught. Now remember originally God called them to invade because of His people's sin, but after judgment God will again deliver His people so as to accomplish His purposes through them. 8:10 "Devise a plan" This term (BDB 734) is used of human plans. Often these plans are different, even contrary, to YHWH's plans (cf. Isa. 14:24-27; 55:8-9; Prov. 19:21). God will accomplish His plans (cf. Isa. 46:10; 55:8-11; Ps. 33:11). God needs nor seeks counselors (Isa. 40:13). His plans are sure and eternal (i.e. Isa. 55:8-11)! He has a redemptive plan for all humans. SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN) ▣ "For God is with us" This is the meaning of the name "Immanuel" from Isa. 7:14; 8:8. In this context this title refers to YHWH's continued purposes through even a faithless Davidic King, Ahaz.
Isaías 8:11-15
8:11-15 This stanza is another message related to YHWH's judgment on His own sinful people YHWH's prophet is thinking and saying His thoughts, not those of his contemporaries or society This stanza reflects the message to Ahaz in Isa. 7:9, now widened to the whole community. It is a message of judgment that could have been faith/hope! 8:11 NASB,TEV "with mighty power" NKJV, LXX "with a strong hand" "whle His hand was strong upon me" "when his hand seized hold of me" JPSOA, REB "when He took me by the hand" "as he held me" The MT has "with a strong hand." "Hand" (BDB 388) is used often in a anthropomorphical sense of God's actions within the world. special imagery of revelation, Isa. 8:11; Jer. 15:17; Ezek. 1:3; 3:14,22; 8:1; 33:22; 37:1; 40:1 imagery for deliverance from Egypt, Exod. 3:20; 6:1; 13:3; 14:31 imagery for oath and/or judgment swing His hand, Isa. 19:16; Zech. 2:9 lifts up His hand, Isa. 26:11; 49:22; Deut. 32:40; Ezek. 20:5 stretches out His hand, Isa. 14:26-27; Exod. 7:5; Jer. 6:12 imagery for creation, Isa. 19:25; 45:11-12; 48:13; 60:21; 64:8 imagery of care, Isa. 41:9,13; 42:6; 45:1 (JPSOA footnote, p. 800) SPECIAL TOPIC: HAND ▣ "not to walk in the way of this people" Isaiah 8:11 is addressed to Isaiah, but Isa. 8:12 is PLURAL. "Walk" is a imagery for lifestyle (i.e. Ps. 1:6). God's people (of the Abrahamic covenant promise) were not God's people (in the Mosaic covenant obedience). They had become a corrupted witness to the nations (cf. Ezek. 36:22-36). In the new day, the day of the special child, a new way will be made available (cf. Isa. 57:14; 62:10). This is the concept John the Baptist saw as his mission (i.e. prepare the way, cf. Isa. 40:3; Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4-6). SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PATH, THE WAY 8:12 "It is a conspiracy" This refers to Isa. 7:2. They heard about the Syro-Ephraimite coalition and were terrified! It is also possible that it refers to Isaiah's opposition to Ahaz's Assyrian alliance policy. The prophet would have been considered a troublemaker or worse, a traitor! 8:13 What they should have feared/awed was the holy Lord of hosts. He is the captain of the truly powerful army (cf. Isa. 41:10,13,14; 43:1,5; 44:2; 54:4; see SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD OF HOSTS). He is truly in control of events (cf. Isa. 7:7,18,20). There is no VERB with He shall be your fear (BDB 432, or "let him be. . .") He shall be your dread (BDB 791, or "let him be. . .") This intensifies the phrases. There is an appropriate (cf. Gen. 31:42,53; Ps. 76:12; Mal. 2:5) and inappropriate fear (cf. Luke 12:4; John 12:43)! To fear YHWH is wisdom (cf. Prov. 1:7) and faithfulness; to fear human power is a lack of faith in YHWH's presence and promises! SPECIAL TOPIC: FEAR (OT) ▣ "regard as holy" See SPECIAL TOPIC: HOLY 8:14-15 YHWH describes His reaction to being rejected by His own covenant people with imagery of judgments (cf. Isa. 11:2-4). a sanctuary (למקדשׁ, cf. Ezek. 11:16) built of stones (YHWH was the sanctuary, cf. Ezek. 11:16) an animal snare and trap (למוקשׁ, BDB 430, v. 15 is a VERB a conspiracy, למקשׁר (NEB) The UBS Text Project, p. 20, gives the MT, "sanctuary," an "A" rating. His people, Israel ("both the houses of Israel"), will stumble over (BDB 505, KB 502, Qal PERFECT with waw) the stones of the sanctuary. This imagery is later developed into the rejected cornerstone (the Messiah, cf. Rom. 9:32-33; 1 Pet. 2:6-8; Isa. 28:16). Many of His people, Judah, will fall over (BDB 656, KB 709, Qal PERFECT with waw) a stone or into a trap (i.e. pit) or be caught in a snare (cf. Isa. 28:13) and perish (cf. Isa. 24:18)! However, some (i.e. the faithful remnant), will trust in Him (cf. Isa. 8:16-18). SPECIAL TOPIC: CORNERSTONE SPECIAL TOPIC: THE REMNANT (three senses) 8:15 Notice the strong action VERBS of v. 15 which are the consequences of trusting in human plans and schemes instead of YHWH. will stumble over them ‒ BDB 505, KB 502, Qal PERFECT with waw will fall and be broken BDB 656, KB 709, Qal PERFECT with waw BDB 990, KB 1402, Niphal PERFECT with waw will even be snared and caught BDB 430, KB 432, Qal NIPHAL PERFECT with waw BDB 539, KB 530, Qal NIPHAL PERFECT with waw
Isaías 8:16-18
8:16-18 This stanza links back to the beginning of the chapter (cf. Isa. 8:1-2). These prophetic messages are for YHWH's faithful disciples (in every age). There has been/always will be a group of faithful disciples (BDB 541). Isaiah uniquely uses this connotation (i.e. disciples) of this term (cf. Isa. 8:16; 50:4 [twice]; 54:13), usually translated "teach," "train," "learn." These are the faithful followers who hear and obey YHWH's word and speakers (cf. vv. 1,2,16,20). Who then does Isa. 8:19-22 describe? It could refer to faithless Judeans (i.e. Southern Kingdom) faithless Israelites (i.e. the Northern Kingdom) 8:16 Isaiah is to bind, BDB 864, KB 1058, Qal IMPERATIVE seal, BDB 367, KB 364, Qal IMPERATIVE (i.e. put a wax seal on the outer edge) These are images denoting preservation and security! 8:17 Isaiah speaks on behalf of the faithful remnant during times of divine punishment. They will "wait" (BDB 314, KB 313, Piel PERFECT with waw), which can also mean "hope," "wait patiently" (cf. Ps. 25:3; 27:14; 37:34; 40:1; 62:5; 130:5; Isa. 25:9; 26:8; 30:8; 33:2; Hab. 2:3), or "long for," usually used of hoping/waiting for God (Isa. 8:17; 25:9; 26:8; 33:2; 40:31; 51:5; 60:9; 64:4; Zeph. 3:8). Faith is expressed by patience and hope through trials and the passing of time. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE REMNANT (three senses) SPECIAL TOPIC: PERSEVERANCE ▣ "the Lord who is hiding His face" This is imagery for a broken relationship (cf. Deut. 31:17-18). SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN ▣ "I will even look eagerly for Him" This VERB (BDB 875, KB 1082, Piel PERFECT with waw) denotes intense longing. used of YHWH in Isa. 5:2,7 used of His disciples in Isa. 25:9; 33:2; 60:9 This stresses the interpersonal aspect of faith (i.e. Ps. 42:1-2). It is not God's blessings, but His presence that believers ultimately desire! This is what the title "Immanuel" implies. SPECIAL TOPIC: IMMANUEL'S PERSON AND REIGN SPECIAL TOPIC: SEEK THE LORD (OT) 8:18 This refers in context to Isaiah and his children's names. ▣ "signs" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SIGN (OT). ▣ "Lord of hosts" See SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD OF HOSTS ▣ "who dwells on Mount Zion" In reality YHWH dwelt in heaven, but the Ark of the Covenant was His footstool (i.e. cf. 1 Chr. 28:2; Ps. 99:5; 132:7, the place where heaven and earth met). SPECIAL TOPIC: ARK OF THE COVENANT SPECIAL TOPIC: ZION
Isaías 8:19-22
8:19-22 This prose paragraph contrasts the false faith involved in seeking mediums and wizards with the true faith of trusting in and seeking YHWH. The prohibitions against mediums and wizards are found in Deut. 18:9-11 and Lev. 20:26, 31 (see my exegetical notes online and Robert Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, pp. 296-302). SPECIAL TOPIC: SEEK THE LORD (OT) 8:19 "Consult" This VERB (BDB 205, KB 233) is used twice in this verse. seek, consult, inquire of false gods (occult), Qal IMPERATIVE seek, consult, inquire of YHWH, Qal IMPERFECT In Isa. 11:10 this same VERB is used of the nations coming to the root of Jesse (i.e. the Davidic Messiah). YHWH's hand was on Isaiah in Isa. 8:11, but these false prophets spoke from their own imagination or demonic influence. What a contrast between the true speaker and false speakers. Yet, fallen humans flock to false teachers! SPECIAL TOPIC: FALSE TEACHERS (NT) ▣ Notice the lists of occultic practices that God's people had assimilated from the surrounding nations. The PARTICIPLE'S (BDB 981, KB 1371) basic meaning is to "ask" or "inquire." Here, to inquire of the spirit realm (e.g. YHWH, Josh. 9:14 or idols, Hosea 4:12). the first NOUN, "medium" (BDB 15) is a difficult term to define. Some see the term as it is used in Lev. 19:31; 20:6,27 a pit or grave where spirits are lured a form of "father" which refers to ancestor worship. It is translated in the LXX in Isa. 8:19 as "ventriloquist." Because of this and Isa. 29:4 some think it means "to chirp" or "to mutter." This would imply to "talk with a different voice." However, from 1 Sam. 28:7-9, it is related to the ability to call or talk to someone in the ground or to communicate with the dead or spirits of the underworld, i.e. necromancy. the second NOUN, "spiritists" (BDB 396) was a form of the Hebrew word "to know" (BDB 395). It refers to one who has knowledge of the spiritual realm or has contact with those in the spiritual realm who have knowledge (cf. Isa. 8:19; 19:3). This term describs males with familiar spirits who communicate with the dead (cf. Isa. 19:3; Lev. 19:31; 20:6,27; Deut. 18:11; 1 Sam. 28:3,9; 2 Kgs. 21:6; 23:24 they whisper, BDB 861, KB 1050, Pilpel PARTICIPLE, cf. Isa. 29:4 they mutter, BDB 211, KB 237, Hiphil PARTICIPLE 8:20 "To the law and to the testimony" The NRSV and REB translations see this phrase as finishing the sentence begun in Isa. 8:19. God's people are to seek Him (i.e. Isa. 19:3; 31:1) and His word, not the dead, for truth and life! But false speakers cannot know truth because they have no light ("dawn," cf. Isa. 47:12-13). God has provided His prophets His message His written record (cf. Isa. 8:1,2,16) SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR GOD'S REVELATION 8:21 "they" Literally all the VERBS in Isa. 8:21 and 22 are SINGULAR, cf. NJB. This refers collectively to the covenant people. They seek knowledge in false religions and wonder why these foreign gods cannot produce prosperity. Prosperity is one of the covenant promises of Deuteronomy 27-28, but it is inseparably related to covenant fidelity! In the end (i.e. the results of agricultural judgment, cf. Isa. 8:22; 5:13-17) they will speak evil of the civic leaders and their false gods (cf. NRSV and REB, which follow LXX). It is possible that speaking evil is an allusion to Exod. 22:28 and Lev. 24:15-16. If so, then it is another example of covenant violations. For me the context of Isa. 8:19-20 links it to false gods. 8:22 This verses goes with Isaiah 9. The context is a play between gloom/darkness and light. Notice the parallel in Isa. 5:30. This was the opposite of YHWH's initial creative purposes (cf. Jer. 4:23-26,27-28).