Isaiah 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).