Today's reading includes a messianic hymn linking the Messiah's earthly ministry with Galilee - a place of no religious distinction. There were no major Yahwist religious centers here like those that existed farther south, in Samaria...
Today's reading includes a messianic hymn (vv. 1-7) linking the Messiah's earthly ministry with Galilee - a place of no religious distinction. There were no major Yahwist religious centers here like those that existed farther south, in Samaria, and Jerusalem with its Temple was, by local standards, rather far away. But none of this prevented Galilee from hearing the preaching of the Messiah-Christ or from becoming the place where the Savior's childhood passed.
External greatness and ancient tradition do not always help the work of God. Who knows what Jesus' childhood would have been like if He had spent it not in quiet Nazareth, but in Jerusalem? God's plan often requires quietness and hiddenness, especially at the first stages, when its fulfillment is only beginning. Human plans, by contrast, often assume from the very start noise, fame, and the earthly greatness that fallen man loves so much (vv. 8-10).
Today's reading not accidentally contrasts despised Galilee with the Kingdom of Israel. The irony of the situation was that Galilee belonged, though not completely, to this state, but was considered in it a remote backwater, of no interest to anyone and of no distinction. All the large cities and all the important political and religious centers of the country lay farther south, in Samaria. Galilee, however, was a border region already partly settled by Gentiles (which is why the prophet calls it "of the nations," v. 1). But centuries passed, and of the Kingdom of Israel, whose rulers were proud of the greatness of their, in essence, quite small country, only memories remained. And the most famous city in this land today is not even Bethel, which was the religious capital of the North and one of the most ancient Yahwist religious centers, but Nazareth, which in the flourishing era of the Northern Kingdom did not yet exist at all and later was by no means distinguished by fame until it was glorified by the One to whom Isaiah bore witness.
9 Joy in the midst of affliction, Isa 9:1-5.
The birth, person, office, and kingdom of Christ, Isa 9:6-7.
Judgments for their pride, Isa 9:8-12.
For their impenitency and hypocrisy, Isa 9:13-21.
9:1 Nevertheless - The calamity of this land and its inhabitants shall be great, yet not such as that which was brought upon it by the king of Assyria, who at first indeed dealt more gently with them, but afterwards rooted them out. He - God. Zebulun - These parts are particularly mentioned, because this storm fell most heavily upon them; but under them the other parts of the land are understood. Afterward - By Shalmaneser, who took Samaria, and carried Israel into captivity, Ki2 17:5-6. Of which calamity, though yet to come, he speaks asif it were past, as the manner of the prophet is. The sea - In that part of the land which borders upon the sea, the lake Genesareth, upon which the portions of Zebulun and Naphtali bordered. Galilee - Or, Galilee of the Gentiles, namely, the upper Galilee, so called because it bordered upon the Gentiles.
9:2 The people - Israel and Judah. Darkness - The expression is general and so may well comprehend both calamity and ignorance, idolatry and profaneness, in which those parts were eminently involved.Have seen - Shall see at the coming of the Messiah.
9:3 Thou hast - Thou hast made good thy promise to Abraham concerning the multiplication of his seed, by gathering in the Gentiles to the Jews. Before thee - In thy presence, and in the place of thy worship.
9:4 The yoke - His burdensome yoke. The staff - The staff or staves by which he was forced to carry burdens upon his shoulders.The rod - Wherewith he beat him. Oppressor - Of all his oppressors, but especially of sin and the devil. As - When God destroyed the Midianites in so admirable a manner by three hundred men.
9:5 Noise - With the triumphant exclamations of the conqueror, and the bitter lamentations of the conquered, and the different cries of the same persons, sometimes conquering, and sometimes conquered. Blood - With great difficulty and slaughter. But - But this victory which God's people shall have over all their enemies, shall be more terrible to their adversaries, whom God will utterly consume, as it were by fire.
9:6 For - Having spoken of the glorious light, and joy, and victory of God's people, he now proceeds to shew the ground of it. Us - Unto us Jews, of whom Christ was born, and to whom he was primarily sent.A child - The Messiah by the consent of interpreters, not only Christian, but Jewish: for so the ancient Hebrew doctors understood the place, and particularly the Chaldee paraphrast; although the latter Jews, out of opposition to Christ, wrest it to Hezekiah.Which extravagant conceit, as it hath no foundation in this or any other text of scripture, so it is fully confuted by the following titles, which are such as cannot without blasphemy and nonsense be ascribed to Hezekiah, nor indeed to any mere mortal man, as we shall see. Is born - Or, shall be born, as the prophets generally speak. The government - Of God's people, to whom he is given. Shoulders - Upon him, or in his hands. He mentions shoulders, because great burdens are commonly laid upon men's shoulders. His name - This is not to be taken for a description of his name, but of his glorious nature and qualities. Wonderful counsellor - And so Christ is, because he hath been the counsellor of his church in all ages, and the author and giver of all those excellent counsels delivered not only by the apostles, but also by the prophets, and hath gathered and enlarged, and preserved his church, by admirable counsels and methods of his providence, and, in a word, hath in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col 2:3.Mighty God - This title can agree to no man but Christ, who was God as well as man, to whom the title of God or Jehovah is given, both in the Old and New Testament. And it is a true observation, that this Hebrew word El is never used in the singular number, of any creature, but only of the almighty God. The father - The father of eternity. Who, though as man he was then unborn, yet was and is from everlasting to everlasting.
9:7 No end - His peaceable and happy government shall be extended to all the ends of the earth. The throne - Which was promised to David, and to his seed for ever. For ever - From the beginning of it to all eternity. The zeal - This great work shall be brought to pass by almighty God, out of that fervent affection which he hath to his own glory, to the honour of his son, and to his people.
9:8 The Lord - The prophet, having inserted some consolatory passages for God's faithful people, returns to his former comminution against the rebellious Israelites. And - Heb. it fell, that is, it shall fall, in the prophetical style. It shall certainly be accomplished.
9:9 Know - They shall know whether my word be true or false.Even - The people of the ten tribes, and particularly Ephraim, the proudest of them all. Samaria - The strongest place, and the seat of the king and court.
9:10 Stones - We have received some damage; but, we doubt not we shall quickly repair it with advantage.
9:11 Therefore - To chastise your pride, and defeat your hopes.Set up - The Assyrians, who, presently after this prophecy, prevailed against him, Ki2 16:7.He mentions Rezin, because he was confederate with Ephraim.Join - So that they shall invade him from several quarters.His - Not Rezin's, but Ephraim.
9:12 Syrians - For though Rezin, king of Syria was destroyed, yet the body of the nation survived, and submitted themselves to the king of Assyria, and upon his command invaded Israel afterwards.Before - Heb. on the east: for Syria stood eastward from Israel.Behind - On the western side of the land of Israel. Devour - Like wild beasts.
9:13 Him - To God.
9:14 Head - High and low. Branch - The goodly branches of tall trees, the mighty and noble. Rush - The bulrush, the weakest and meanest persons. One day - All together, one as well as another.
9:15 The prophet - Whose destruction he mentions, not as if it were a punishment to them to be deprived of such persons, but partly to shew the extent of the calamity, that it should reach all sorts of persons; and partly to beat down their vain presumptions of peace and prosperity, by shewing that those false prophets, which had fed their vain hopes, should perish, and their false prophecies with them. Tail - The basest part of the whole people.
9:16 The leaders - Their false prophets. Cause - By false doctrines and evil counsels and persuasions. Destroyed - Shall certainly perish.
9:17 No joy - Shall not rejoice over them to do them good.Fatherless - Who are the special objects of his care and pity, and much less upon others. Every one - Not precisely; for there were seven thousand elect persons among them, when they seemed to Elijah to be universally corrupt, but the body of the people. Hypocrite - For though they professed to worship God, yet indeed they had forsaken him. Folly - Wickedness.
9:18 Burneth - Shall burn you, as it follows, shall devour.Thorns - The low and mean persons; for these are opposed to the thickets of the forest, in the next clause. Forest - In the wood, where the trees are tall, and stand thick, having their bows entangled together, which makes them more ready both to catch and to spread the fire.Smoak - Sending up smoak like a vast furnace.
9:21 Manasseh - Though more near and dear to one another than any other tribe, being both sons of Joseph.