Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 9. Pride and stoutness of heart "Carry themselves haughtily"] w[dyw veyadeu, "and they shall know;" so ours and the Versions in general. But what is it that they shall know? The verb stands destitute of its object; and the sense is imperfect. The Chaldee is the only one, as far as I can find, that expresses it otherwise. He renders the verb in this place by wbrbrtaw veithrabrabu, "they exalt themselves, or carry themselves haughtily; the same word by which he renders whbg gabehu, chap. iii. 16.
He seems, therefore, in this place to have read whbgyw vaiyigbehu, which agrees perfectly well with what follows, and clears up the difficulty.
Archbishop Secker conjectured wrbdyw vayedabberu, referring it to rmal lemor, in the next verse, which shows that he was not satisfied with the present reading. Houbigant reads w[ryw vaiyereu, et pravi facti sunt, they are become wicked, which is found in a MS.; but I prefer the reading of the Chaldee, which suits much better with the context.
Houbigant approves of this reading; but it is utterly unsupported by any evidence from antiquity: it is a mere mistake of r resh for d daleth; and I am surprised that it should be favoured by Houbigant.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- Exhortations and warnings. (Is. 8:1-8) Comfort for those who fear God (Is. 8:9-16) Afflictions to idolaters. (Is. 8:17-22)
Is. 8:1-8 The prophet is to write on a large roll, or on a meta tablet, words which meant, "Make speed to spoil, hasten to the prey: pointing out that the Assyrian army should come with speed, and make great spoil. Very soon the riches of Damascus and of Samaria, citie then secure and formidable, shall be taken away by the king of Assyria The prophet pleads with the promised Messiah, who should appear in tha land in the fulness of time, and, therefore, as God, would preserve it in the mean time. As a gentle brook is an apt emblem of a mil government, so an overflowing torrent represents a conqueror an tyrant. The invader's success was also described by a bird of prey stretching its wings over the whole land. Those who reject Christ, wil find that what they call liberty is the basest slavery. But no enem shall pluck the believer out of Emmanuel's hand, or deprive him of his heavenly inheritance.
Is. 8:9-16 The prophet challenges the enemies of the Jews. Their efforts would be vain, and themselves broken to pieces. It concerns us in time of trouble, to watch against all such fears as put us upo crooked courses for our own security. The believing fear of God preserves against the disquieting fear of man. If we thought rightly of the greatness and glory of God, we should see all the power of ou enemies restrained. The Lord, who will be a Sanctuary to those wh trust in him, will be a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence, to those who make the creature their fear and their hope. If the things of God be an offence to us, they will undo us. The apostle quotes this a to all who persisted in unbelief of the gospel of Christ, I Pet. 2:8 The crucified Emmanuel, who was and is a Stumbling-stone and Rock of offence to unbelieving Jews, is no less so to thousands who are calle Christians. The preaching of the cross is foolishness in their esteem his doctrines and precepts offend them.
Is. 8:17-22 The prophet foresaw that the Lord would hide his face; but he would look for his return in favour to them again. Though no miraculous signs, the children's names were memorials from God, suite to excite attention. The unbelieving Jews were prone to seek counsel i difficulties, from diviners of different descriptions, whose foolis and sinful ceremonies are alluded to. Would we know how we may seek to our God, and come to the knowledge of his mind? To the law and to the testimony; for there you will see what is good, and what the Lor requires. We must speak of the things of God in the words which the Holy Ghost teaches, and be ruled by them. To those that seek to familiar spirits, and regard not God's law and testimony, there shal be horror and misery. Those that go away from God, go out of the way of all good; for fretfulness is a sin that is its own punishment. The shall despair, and see no way of relief, when they curse God. And their fears will represent every thing as frightful. Those that shut their eyes against the light of God's word, will justly be left to darkness All the miseries that ever were felt or witnessed on earth, are a nothing, compared with what will overwhelm those who leave the words of Christ, to follow delusions _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew וידעו3045 העם5971 כלו3605 אפרים669 ויושׁב3427 שׁמרון8111 בגאוה1346 ובגדל1433 לבב3824 לאמר׃559
