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.

9:9 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.

10  The woe of unjust oppressors, Isa 10:1-4.
Of Assyria for their pride and ambition, his folly in it, Isa 10:5-19.
A remnant of Israel shall be saved, and that speedily, Isa 10:20-27.
Sennacherib marching toward Jerusalem, Isa 10:28-31.
His judgment, Isa 10:32-34.

10:1 Woe - Unto those magistrates who make unjust laws, and give unjust sentences. Grievousness - Grievous things, such unjust decrees as cause grief and vexation to their subjects.

10:2 Judgment - From obtaining a just sentence.

10:3 From far - From the Assyrians. This he adds, because the Israelites, having weakened the Jews and being in amity with the Assyrians their next neighbours, were secure. Leave - To be kept safe for your use. Glory - Your wealth.

10:4 Without me - Without my favour and help, which you have forfeited.Shall bow down - Notwithstanding all your succours.

7 We have in this chapter,

1. God's gracious call to Noah to come into the ark, Gen 7:1.
   and to bring the creatures that were to be preserved alive, with him, Gen 7:2-3.
   in consideration of the deluge at hand, Gen 7:4.
   
2. Noah's obedience, Gen 7:5.
   he came with his family into the ark, Gen 7:6-7.
   and brought the creatures with him, Gen 7:8-9.
   An account of which is repeated, Gen 7:13-16.
   to which is added God's tender care to shut him in.
3. The coming of the threatened deluge, Gen 7:10.
   the causes of it, Gen 7:11-12.
   the prevalency of it, Gen 7:17-20.
   
4. The dreadful desolations that were made by it, in the death of every living creature upon earth, except what were in the ark, Gen 7:21-23.
   
5. The continuance of it in full sea, before it began to ebb, 150 days, Gen 7:24.
   

7:1 Here is a gracious invitation of Noah and his family into a place of safety, now the flood of waters was coming. For thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation - Those are righteous indeed that are righteous before God; that have not only the form of godliness by which they appear righteous before men, who may easily be imposed upon; but the power of it, by which they approve themselves to God, who searcheth the heart.

7:2 Here are necessary orders given concerning the brute creatures that they were to be preserved alive with Noah in the ark. He must carefully preserve every species, that no tribe, no, not the least considerable, might entirely perish out of the creation.Observe in this:

1. God's care for man. Doth God take care for oxen? Co1 9:9, or was it not rather for man's sake that this care was taken?
2. Even the unclean beasts were preserved alive in the ark, that were least valuable. For God's tender mercies are over all his works, and not only over those that are of most use.
3. Yet more of the clean were preserved than of the unclean.
   1. Because the clean were most for the service of man; and therefore in favour to him, more of them were preserved and are still propagated. Thanks be to God there are not herds of lions as there are of oxen, nor flocks of tigers as there are of sheep.
   2. Because the clean were for sacrifice to God; and therefore, in honour to him, more of them were preserved, three couple for breed, and the odd seventh for sacrifice, Gen 8:20.

7:4 Yet seven days and I will cause it to rain - It shall be seven days yet before I do it, After the 120 years were expired, God grants them a reprieve of seven days longer, both to shew how slow he is to anger, and to give them some farther space for repentance. But all in vain; these seven days were trifled away after all the rest, they continued secure until the day that the flood came. While Noah told them of the judgment at a distance, they were tempted to put off their repentance: but now he is ordered to tell them that it is at the door; that they have but one week more to turn them in, to see if that will now at last awaken them to consider the things that belong to their peace. But it is common for those that have been careless for their souls during the years of their health, when they have looked upon death at a distance, to be as careless during the days, the seven days of their sickness, when they see it approaching, their hearts being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

8  A recommendation of Divine wisdom, Pro 8:1-21.
The praise of the Son of God, the eternal Wisdom of the Father, Pro 8:22-31.
An exhortation to hearken to him, Pro 8:32-36.

8:34 Waiting - As servants or clients, wait at the doors of princes or persons of eminency.

9  Christ, under the name of wisdom invites us to his entertainment, Pro 9:1-6.
Foretells the different successes of his invitation, Pro 9:7-9.
Shews the fruit of fearing God, Pro 9:10-12.
Sin, in the person of a foolish woman invites us to her entertainment, Pro 9:13-17.
Which ends in destruction, Pro 9:18.

9:1 Her house - For the reception of her guests. Seven - Many pillars; whereby is intimated the beauty and stability of the church.Pillars - Prophets, and apostles, and ministers.

9:2 Killed - Made provision for the guests. Mingled - With water, as they used to do in those hot countries. Furnished - With all necessaries, and now waits for the guests.

9:3 Maidens - Her servants to invite the guests, ministers of the word whom he calls maidens for the decency of the parable; for wisdom being compared to a great princess, was fit to be attended upon by maidens.Highest places - From such high seats as those from which judges delivered their sentences, and officers made proclamations.

9:4 Simple - Ignorant, and weak.

9:7 A former - He shews whom he meant by the foolish, ver. Pro 9:6, even scorners and wicked men, and presses his last advice of forsaking them because there was no good, but hurt to be got from them.

9:8 A scorner - An obstinate and incorrigible sinner.