Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 8

Prophetic Fragments Concerning the Coming Terror ( 7 : 18 — 8 : 10 )

This section is apparently not a continuous prophecy, but rather a series of fragments, all concerning the coming disaster. Verses 18-20 refer to the terror activities of the imperialistic powers, Assyria in particular. In verses 21-22 the reference to “curds and honey” seems to suggest the reversion of the land to a pastoral state in which these foods of the semi-nomadic dweller with his flock will be the staples of the land, rather than the foods grown ordinarily by agriculturists. Verses 23-25 continue with the same theme: the settled and the agricultural land will return to a place for the grazing of cattle and sheep. It perhaps should be noted that these words are not a mere pessimism on the part of the prophet. What he states here actually did take place in the destruction of Samaria and the cities in the central hill country by the Assyrians in the period 724-21 b.c. While Judah received a severe punishing at the hand of the Assyrian, Sennacherib, in 701 b.c., the complete destruction of all settled occupation of the land was not to come until a little over a century later at the hands of the Babylonians (587 or 586 B.c.).

The paragraph 8:1-4 returns to the theme of the war against Ahaz in 734 b.c. Here we learn of a second son of Isaiah with a very long name, Maher-shalal-hashbaz. Again it is a symbolic name referring to one of the major points in the prophecy which Isaiah is called upon to deliver to his people. The name means “speed the spoil, hasten the prey”; that is, it refers to the coming destruction of Damascus and Samaria, as verse 4 makes clear. As was the case with the prophet Hosea, so the private life of Isaiah is used to dramatize and symbolize the dreadful message which the prophet is called upon to deliver to the people.

A new prophecy in verses 5-8a is closely related to the foregoing. The metaphorical reference in verse 6 to the “waters of Shiloah” is to the waters of the aqueduct to which allusion is previously made in 7:3. The meaning is that because the people cannot trust in the quiet waters, a great river, the river of Assyria, will sweep over its banks and overflow into Judah. Politically this means that the forces let loose when Ahaz in his frantic fear appealed to Assyria for aid will not stop with the destruction of Damascus and Samaria, but will sweep over and engulf Judah also, which indeed was the fact.

The second part of verse 8, “its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your laud, O Immanu-el,” is most easily understood if it is read with the lines of poetry which follow in verses 9-10. This would appear to be a fragment of a hymn of hope and praise to God, though the antecedent of “outspread wings” is not here preserved. The reference, however, must be to the wings of God that will cover the land as a protection so that all those who attack the country will fail, “for God is with us.” Here a play on words is again used wherein “Immanu-el” is addressed directly in verse 8b, but the meaning of the name is translated at the end of the poetic fragment. Since the country of Judah is referred to as “your land, O Immanu-el,” there is an additional suggestion that Isaiah’s Immanuel prophecy in 7:14 is indeed meant to refer to the new king whom God is going to supply as salvation to his people.

Verses 11-22

Autobiographical Fragment ( 8 : 11 - 22 )

Chapter 8 continues in verse 11 with autobiographical material from the prophet, but in this case the word of the Lord is addressed to him personally and contains advice and counsel as to how he should act in the present crisis. The time still appears to be early in the prophet’s ministry. Indeed, the “conspiracy” mentioned in verse 12 is probably that of the Syro-Ephraimitic War of 734 b.c. Verse 11 speaks of the Lord’s “strong hand upon me,” a vivid expression of prophetic inspiration. The prophet understood himself to be in the grip of One who was stronger than he, so that his whole self was caught up in concentration upon God and his will (see also Ezekiel 3:14). In verses 11-15, Isaiah, and presumably with him his disciples, is told to separate himself in attitude and spirit from the society in which he lives. The will of God is going to be a stumbling block both to Israel and to Judah, and many people are going to stumble upon it and be broken. Their separation and alienation from the true purposes of God is so far advanced that there seems little hope for them (compare 6:9-13). Consequently, Isaiah’s standard of attitude and conduct must not be drawn from among the people but from God alone. The words “fear” and “dread” in verse 13 are common Old Testament words for religious reverence, upon which all worship depends. They do not refer to groveling fear before the Lord, except in passages that refer to evil people who may expect or are experiencing the dreadful judgment of God. From this point on into the New Testament the call for separation from the main social group which is thought to be in deep error becomes more and more insistent. From now on the true Israel of God is not necessarily the nation. God’s activities will be directed toward the creation of the true Israel.

Verse 16 is the first reference to disciples of a prophet and their relation to the prophecy. Isaiah is told to seal up his prophecies among his disciples so that they can preserve them. Meanwhile Isaiah himself is to wait patiently for the Lord to act in fulfillment of what he has said to his prophet, while he and his children in their going out and in among the people will continue to be signs of the prophecy already uttered (vss. 17-18). The prophet s work is over for the moment, and he must now wait upon the Lord to act, entrusting his message to his disciples for preservation.

Verses 19-22 again give a picture of the state of the people now and in the days to come. At the moment they are inclined to turn to spiritualists and mediums, as though it were proper to consult the dead on behalf of the living. God has made hi s will known by his teaching and testimony, and it is most strange that the people should prefer the practices of paganism to the clarity and simplicity of the manner in which God has revealed himself to them. As a result, in the days of the coming judgment they will be enraged and disillusioned with king and Temple, but when they look about themselves they will see only darkness and distress.