Isa 7:10-8:8 | TNotes

7:11 ^a A sign of confirmation would be performed before Ahaz’s eyes as a token of God’s truthfulness. His son Hezekiah would also receive such a sign (see 37:30 ^b).
7:12 ^c I will not test the Lord like that: Despite this seemingly pious response (based on Deut 6:16 ^d), Ahaz was most likely already in negotiations with the Assyrians and had already decided whom he would trust for rescue in this war.
7:14 ^e This prophecy received its ultimate fulfillment in the birth of Jesus Christ (Matt 1:18-24 ^f). Yet it is likely that it also had a partial fulfillment in Isaiah’s day, either with the birth of godly king Hezekiah, Ahaz’s son, or with the birth of one of Isaiah’s children. The similar sequence of the verbs in Isa 7:14 ^g and 8:3 ^h (conceive ... give birth ... call) and the link between Immanuel and Maher-shalal-hash-baz in 8:5-10 ⁱ suggest that Immanuel and Maher-shalal-hash-baz were the same person.

• The name Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’) symbolized God’s presence and protection. God was with Judah during the attack by the alliance of Syria and Israel (734 BC), in the Assyrian crisis (701 BC), and throughout their prolonged existence until their fall in 586 BC. The kingdom of Israel fell during the time of Isaiah (722 BC). The assurance “I am with you” remained significant even in the exilic and postexilic periods (41:10 ^j; 43:2 ^k, 5 ^l). The greatest assurance ultimately came in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God (Matt 1:23 ^m; see also Rev 12:5 ⁿ).
Summary for Isa 7:15-16: 7:15-16 ^o By the time this child is old enough: The crisis involving the alliance of Syria and Israel against Judah was in 734 BC; by 732 BC Damascus, capital of Syria, was destroyed, and the northern kingdom, Israel, was defeated.

• choose what is right and reject what is wrong: This was to happen by the age of 12, when a child was held responsible as an adult. In 722 BC, Israel went into exile.

• he will be eating yogurt and honey: The land would be so depopulated that these delicacies would be available to all.
7:17 ^p Israel broke away from Judah in 931 BC (see 1 Kgs 12:19-20 ^q).

• will bring the king of Assyria upon you: Ahaz called Assyria in to help (2 Kgs 16:8-9 ^r), but Assyria turned against him and made Judah a vassal state.
Summary for Isa 7:18-25: 7:18-25 ^s The repetition of in that day referred to the yet future day of the Lord. Judah would experience the judgment already announced by Isaiah as a foretaste of an even greater judgment to come: exile in Babylon (586–538 BC).
7:19 ^t Locations such as desolate valleys, caves, and thorny places were places of refuge for the desperate (see 2:10 ^u). However, Judah’s enemies would find them there.
7:20 ^v shave off everything: your land, your crops, and your people: In the ancient Near East, forced shaving was an act of disgrace (see 2 Sam 10:4-5 ^w). Here it was a metaphor for the despoiling of the country.
Summary for Isa 7:23-25: 7:23-25 ^x Farmers faced near total disaster. Fertile agricultural fields (lush vineyards) would revert to wild grazing lands dominated by worthless plants (briers and thorns; see 5:6 ^y).

‏ Isaiah 8:1-8

8:1 ^z The meaning of the name Maher-shalal-hash-baz (“Swift to plunder and quick to carry away”) applies both to Judah’s enemies (8:4 ^aa) and to Judah itself (8:7-8 ^ab). They had trusted Assyria in place of God, and now Assyria would turn on them and all but destroy them. God was with them (Immanuel; see 7:14 ^ac), but his presence would be destructive if they refused to trust in him (see 8:14 ^ad).
8:3 ^ae my wife: Literally the prophetess.

• Like the name Immanuel (7:14 ^af), Maher-shalal-hash-baz is symbolic. It is possible that this child was the partial fulfillment of the Immanuel prophecy as well (see study note on 7:14). The ultimate fulfillment of the Immanuel prophecy occurred with the birth of Jesus (Matt 1:22-23 ^ag).
8:4 ^ah before this child is old enough: See also 7:16 ^ai.

• Damascus and Samaria were ruined and destroyed in 732 BC, fulfilling this verse along with 7:8 ^aj, 19-20 ^ak.
Summary for Isa 8:5-10: 8:5-10 ^al This prophecy connects the sign of Maher-shalal-hash-baz with the sign of Immanuel (8:8 ^am, 10 ^an).
8:6 ^ao The gently flowing waters of Shiloah supplied Jerusalem with water. Here they represent God’s loving presence and provision (see Ps 46:4 ^ap).

• Ahaz rejected the sign and the promise of God’s protection. He was not a man of faith (Isa 7:9 ^aq), and now the people were following in his footsteps by placing their hope in Assyria to save them from King Rezin and King Pekah (cp. 7:7-9 ^ar, 16 ^as).
8:7 ^at The mighty flood from the Euphrates River represents the invading Assyrian army (see Jer 47:2 ^au). The river would overflow all its channels when the Assyrians marched deep into Judah. This stood as a frightening contrast with the gently flowing waters of Shiloah (Isa 8:6 ^av).
8:8 ^aw chin deep: Judah barely survived the Assyrian assaults in 701 BC (see chs 36–37 ^ax).

• submerging your land from one end to the other: From north to south, Judah was nearly devastated, except for the city of Jerusalem (see 1:8-9 ^ay; chs 36–37 ^az).

• Immanuel: Despite their failure to trust him and the disaster it brought, God was still with his people (see 7:14 ^ba).