Isaiah 7

Verse 1. Achaz. This must be seventeen years later than the former prediction. 4 Kennicott. 15:37. The kings of Syria and Israel jointly attacked Juda, but were forced to raise the siege of Jerusalem. The next year they came separately, and committed the following ravages. The news of their junction threw all into confusion. verse 2. Isaias was then sent to inform the king, that the designs of his enemies should not take effect. Yet the two kings obtained each a victory. But they could not dethrone Achaz, as they intended. Calmet.—Paine traduces this prophecy as a lie, asserting that they succeeded. What! did they make Tabeel king? verse 6. The Israelites would not even keep the captives who had been taken. 2 Chron. 28:15. Watson, let. 5.—Achaz had been made captive before. But now the Lord defeated the projects of his enemies, as he will the conspiracy of heretics against his Church. Worthington.

Verse 3. Jasub. This name was mysterious: Shear-Jashub means “the rest shall return” from Babylon, or be converted under Ezechias. Calmet. 10:22. Calmet.—Prot. Go “thou, and Shear-Jashub, thy son, at the end of the conduit,” and so forth Bible.

Verse 4. Tails. So he styles the two kings in derision. The distrust of Achaz was punished by the loss of many of his subjects, but he was not dethroned, having engaged the Egyptians and Assyrians to attack his enemies. verse 17.

Verse 6. Tabeel. Chal. “whom we shall think proper.” He will not so much as name him.

Verse 8. Rasin. Both the king and his capital shall be ruined.—And five. Capellus (p. 497.) would read six and five; or, in eleven years time. But ( Calmet.) Ephraim was led captive twenty-one years after, and the Cutheans took their place when sixty-five years had elapsed. A. 3327. Usher—Most people date from the prophecy of Amos to the ruin of Samaria, just sixty-five years. The former solution seems preferable. Calmet.

Verse 9. Continue. Septuagint “and will not understand, even the Lord,” and so forth Bible.—Hebrew “and since you do not believe,” ( Calmet.) or “because you are not confirmed” by a miracle. Grot.

Verse 11. Above. Require it to thunder, (1 Kennicott. 12:17) or the earth to open. Numbers 16:28. Calmet.

Verse 12. Lord. He was afraid of being forced to relinquish his evil ways. Saint Jerome—Though an idolater, he knew he ought not to tempt God.

Verse 14. Virgin, halma, ( Bible.) one secluded from the company of men. Alma in Latin signifies “a holy person,” and in Punic “a virgin.” The term is never applied to any but “a young virgin.” If it meant a young woman, what sort of a sign would this be? Saint Jerome—It was indeed above the sagacity of man to declare that the child to be born would be a boy, and live till the kings should be destroyed. But the prophet undoubtedly speaks of Jesus Christ, the wonderful, and so forth (chapter 9:5) as well as of a boy, who should prefigure him, and be an earnest of the speedy destruction of the two kings. He was to be born of Isaias, (chapter 8:4) and of all the qualities belonging to the true Emmanuel, only that regards him, which intimates that the country should be delivered before he should come to years of discretion. verse 16. Calmet. Diss. Bossuet—The Fathers generally apply all to Christ.—Called. Or shall be in effect. Calmet. 1:26. Calmet.—The king hardly trusted in God’s mercies, whereupon the incarnation of Christ, and so forth is foretold. Worthington.

“Immanuel” means “God with us”.

Verse 15. Honey. Like other infants. Calmet.—The new baptized received some to remind them of innocence. Tert. cor. 3.—Christ shall be true man. Menochius.

Verse 16. Good. Being arrived at the age of discretion, Achaz engaged the Assyrians to invade Damascus. Its citizens and four tribes were carried into captivity the year following. Phacee only survived another year, A. 3265. This was a pledge, that what regarded the son of the virgin would also be accomplished. Calmet.—Land of the enemy. Calmet. 4 Kennicott. 16. Menochius.

Verse 17. Assyrians. His aid shall prove the greatest scourge, (2 Chronicles 28:20) while the Idumeans and Philistines shall also ravage the country. 28:17. Achaz has vainly trusted in man.

Verse 18. Of Egypt. The Idumeans, and so forth dwell on the borders. Calmet. 5:26. Yet many explain this of the victories of Nabuchodonosor and Nechas.

Verse 20. Razor. Or cut off with scissors all the hair, as was done with lepers, (Leviticus 14:9) and Levites. Numbers 8:7. The country shall be pillaged, and all shall be in mourning. Calmet.—The men shall be despised as no better than women and cowards. Saint Jerome Theod.—Hired. With large sums. Calmet.

Verse 22. Land. Pastures shall be so large, ( Menochius.) though uncultivated, the greatest part of the inhabitants being removed.

Verse 23. Pieces. Sicles. This was the price of the best vineyards. Song of Songs 8:2. Calmet.—Now people may hunt in them. Bible.—The subjects of Achaz were much reduced. Calmet.

A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, so 1000 shekels is about 10 kilograms or 22 pounds.

Verse 24. Thither. The hedges shall be rooted up ( Bible.) or neglected, so that cattle may graze. Menochius.—Two sorts of mountains are specified; some for vineyards, and others for pasture. Calmet.