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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 7:17–25. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
After the comfortable promises made to Ahaz as a branch of the house of David, here follow terrible threatenings against him, as a degenerate branch of that house; for though the loving-kindness of God shall not be utterly taken away, for the sake of David and the covenant made with him, yet his iniquity shall be chastened with the rod, and his sin with stripes. Let those that will not mix faith with the promises of God expect to hear the alarms of his threatenings.
I.The judgment threatened is very great, Isa 7:17.
It is very great, for it is general; it shall be brought upon the prince himself (high as he is, he shall not be out of the reach of it), and upon the people, the whole body of the nation, and upon the royal family, upon all thy father's house; it shall be a judgment entailed on posterity, and shall go along with the royal blood. It is very great, for it shall be unprecedented - days that have not come; so dark, so gloomy, so melancholy, as never were the like since the revolt of the ten tribes, when Ephraim departed from Judah, which was indeed a sad time to the house of David. Note, The longer men continue in sin the sorer punishments they have reason to expect. It is the Lord that will bring these days upon them, for our times are in his hand, and who can resist or escape the judgments he brings?
II.The enemy that should be employed as the instrument of this judgment is the king of Assyria.
Ahaz reposed great confidence in that prince for help against the confederate powers of Israel and Syria, and minded the less what God said to him by his prophet for his encouragement because he built much upon his interest in the king of Assyria, and had meanly promised to be his servant if he would send him some succours; he had also, made him a present of gold and silver, for which he drained the treasures both of church and state, Kg2 16:7, Kg2 16:8. Now God threatens that that king of Assyria whom he made his stay instead of God should become a scourge to him. He was so speedily; for, when he came to him, he distressed him, but strengthened him not (Ch2 28:20), the reed not only broke under him, but ran into his hand, and pierced it, and thenceforward the kings of Assyria were, for a long time, grieving thorns to Judah, and gave them a great deal of trouble. Note, The creature that we make our hope commonly proves our hurt. The king of Assyria, not long after this, made himself master of the ten tribes, carried them captive, and laid their country waste, so as fully to answer the prediction here; and perhaps it may refer to that, as an explication of Isa 7:8, where it is foretold that Ephraim shall be broken, that it shall not be a people; and it is easy to suppose that the prophet (at Isa 7:17) turns his speech to the king of Israel, denouncing God's judgments against him for invading Judah. But the expositors universally understand it of Ahaz and his kingdom. Now observe,
1.Summons given to the invaders (Isa 7:18): The Lord shall whistle for the fly and the bee. See Isa 5:26. Enemies that seem as contemptible as a fly or a bee, and are as easily crushed, shall yet, when God pleases, do his work as effectually as lions and young lions. Though they are as far distant from one another as the rivers of Egypt and the land of Assyria, yet they shall punctually meet to join in this work when God commands their attendance; for, when God has work to do, he will not be at a loss for instruments to do it with.
2.Possession taken by them, Isa 7:19. It should seem as if the country were in no condition to make resistance. They find no difficulties in forcing their way, but come and rest all of them in the desolate valleys, which the inhabitants had deserted upon the first alarm, and left them a cheap and easy prey to the invaders. They shall come and rest in the low grounds like swarms of flies and bees, and shall render themselves impregnable by taking shelter in the holes of the rocks, as bees often do, and showing themselves formidable by appearing openly upon all thorns and all bushes; so generally shall the land be overspread with them. These bees shall knit upon the thorns and bushes, and there rest undisturbed.
3.Great desolations made, and the country generally depopulated (Isa 7:20): The Lord shall shave the hair of the head, and beard, and feet; he shall sweep all away, as the leper, when he was cleansed, shaved off all his hair, Lev 14:8, Lev 14:9. This is done with a razor which is hired, either which God has hired (as if he had none of his own; but what he hires, and whom he employs in any service for him, he will pay for. See Eze 29:18, Eze 29:19), or which Ahaz has hired for his assistance. God will make that to be an instrument of his destruction which he hired into his service. Note, Many are beaten with that arm of flesh which they trusted to rather than to the arm of the Lord, and which they were at a great expense upon, when by faith and prayer they might have found cheap and easy succour in God.
4.The consequences of this general depopulation.
(1.)The flocks of cattle shall be all destroyed, so that a man who had herds and flocks in abundance shall be stripped of them all by the enemy, and shall with much ado save for his own use a young cow and two sheep - a poor stock (Isa 7:21), yet he shall think himself happy in having any left.
(2.)The few cattle that are left shall have such a large compass of ground to feed in that they shall give abundance of milk, and very good milk, such as shall produce butter enough, Isa 7:22. There shall also be such want of men that the milk of one cow and two sheep shall serve a whole family, which used to keep abundance of servants and consume a great deal, but is now reduced.
(3.)The breed of cattle shall be destroyed; so that those who used to eat flesh ( as the Jews commonly did) shall be necessitated to confine themselves to butter and honey, for there shall be no flesh for them; and the country shall be so depopulated that there shall be butter and honey enough for the few that are left in it.
(4.)Good land, that used to be let well, shall be all overrun with briers and thorns (Isa 7:23); where there used to be a thousand vines planted, for which the tenants used to pay a thousand shekels, or pieces of silver, yearly rent, there shall be nothing now but briers and thorns, no profit either for landlord or tenant, all being laid waste by the army of the invaders. Note, God can soon turn a fruitful land into barrenness; and it is just with him to turn vines into briers if we, instead of bringing forth grapes to him, bring forth wild grapes, Isa 5:4.
(5.)The implements of husbandry shall be turned into instruments of war, Isa 7:24. The whole land having become briers and thorns, the grounds that men used to come to with sickles and pruning-hooks to gather in the fruits they shall now come to with arrows and bows, to hunt for wild beasts in the thickets, or to defend themselves from the robbers that lurk in the bushes, seeking for prey, or to kill the serpents and venomous beasts that are hid there. This denotes a very sad change of the face of that pleasant land. But what melancholy change is there which sin will not make with a people?
(6.)Where briers and thorns were wont to be of use and to do good service, even in the hedges, for the defence of the enclosed grounds, they shall be plucked up, and all laid in common. There shall be briers and thorns in abundance where they should not be, but none where they should be, Isa 7:25. The hills that shall be digged with the mattock, for special use, from which the cattle used to be kept off with the fear of briers and thorns, shall now be thrown open, the hedges broken down for the boar out of the wood to waste it, Psa 80:12, Psa 80:13. It shall be left at large for oxen to run in and less cattle. See the effect of sin and the curse; it has made the earth a forest of thorns and thistles, except as it is forced into some order by the constant care and labour of man. And see what folly it is to set our hearts upon possessions of lands, be they every so fruitful, ever so pleasant; if they lie ever so little neglected and uncultivated, or if they be abused by a wasteful careless heir or tenant, or the country be laid waste by war, they will soon become frightful deserts. Heaven is a paradise not subject to such changes.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
(Verse 20) On that day the Lord will shave with a hired razor, with those beyond the River, with the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet, and it will sweep away the beard, too. Some people think that this is a prophecy about the Assyrians, who, thirteen hundred years before they destroyed Jerusalem, ruled over the kingdom of Asia, Egypt, and Libya, and that they will be defeated by the Medes and Persians, and their empire will be destroyed. Others, however, believe that it refers to the Egyptians who were killed beyond the Euphrates River. But we believe that the hired razor, which is called the Assyrian in Jeremiah (Jer. 25), is indeed the instrument of the Assyrian king, whom in punishment of the sinful people, he also calls his own dove. Moreover, in the vision of Tyre (Ezek. 28), because he had worked very hard in building fortifications and carrying earth for the mound, and had been deprived of his wages when they fled, Egypt was given to him as payment and reward for his labor. Therefore, with this very sharp razor, and concerning those who live beyond the Euphrates River, namely the Assyrian king, the Lord will shave off all the hair and fur of the entire body from head to foot, as well as the beauty of the beard, which is an indication of manliness, from Judea, so that perhaps nothing, nothing beautiful remains in it, but that they may be compared to effeminate men, or rather, to dishonorable women.
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Summary
Isaiah 7:20 delivers a stark prophetic warning to the kingdom of Judah under King Ahaz, declaring that the very power Ahaz sought as an ally—the formidable Assyrian Empire—would become God's instrument of severe judgment. Through vivid imagery of a razor shaving the head, feet, and beard, the verse foretells a complete and humiliating desolation upon Judah, a direct consequence of Ahaz's profound lack of faith in Yahweh and his reliance on worldly alliances instead.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within a pivotal section of Isaiah (chapters 7-12) known as the "Book of Immanuel," which addresses the Syro-Ephraimite War. King Ahaz of Judah is terrified by the coalition of Aram (Syria) and Israel (Ephraim) threatening Jerusalem. The prophet Isaiah is sent to reassure Ahaz, urging him to trust in God's deliverance and offering a sign (as seen in Isaiah 7:10-11). However, Ahaz defiantly refuses to ask for a sign, feigning piety but revealing his true intention to rely on Assyria (as recorded in Isaiah 7:12). In response to Ahaz's unbelief, God gives the sign of Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14), which carries both a promise of deliverance and a warning of impending judgment. Isaiah 7:20 immediately follows this, detailing the specific nature of the judgment: the "razor" of Assyria, the very power Ahaz was appealing to, would bring devastation. This prophecy thus serves as a direct consequence and ironic fulfillment of Ahaz's misplaced trust.
Historical & Cultural Context
The historical backdrop is the mid-8th century BCE (around 735-732 BC), a period of intense geopolitical upheaval. The Neo-Assyrian Empire, under Tiglath-Pileser III, was rapidly expanding its dominion, posing a significant threat to smaller kingdoms in the Levant, including Judah. Facing the Syro-Ephraimite coalition, King Ahaz, despite Isaiah's counsel, made a desperate plea for help to Tiglath-Pileser III, even offering tribute and becoming a vassal (as recorded in 2 Kings 16:7-9). Culturally, the imagery of shaving was deeply significant in the ancient Near East. The beard was a potent symbol of honor, dignity, masculinity, and social status. Hair on the head and body also represented vitality and identity. To be completely shaved—the head, feet, and beard—was a profound act of humiliation, a sign of extreme disgrace, mourning, or even enslavement, signifying a complete loss of status, power, and prosperity.
Key Themes
Isaiah 7:20 powerfully underscores several core themes. Firstly, it highlights Divine Sovereignty and Judgment, portraying God as the ultimate controller of history, orchestrating events and using even formidable foreign powers like Assyria as His instruments to execute His righteous will and judgment upon His disobedient people. The "razor" is explicitly "hired" by the Lord, indicating divine permission and purpose behind the impending invasion, a theme echoed elsewhere (e.g., Isaiah 10:5). Secondly, the verse emphasizes the Consequences of Unbelief and Disobedience. Ahaz's refusal to trust God's promise and his decision to form a worldly alliance with Assyria directly precipitates the very judgment he sought to avoid, illustrating that rejecting divine guidance often leads to harsher outcomes than the initial threat. Finally, the vivid imagery of shaving conveys a theme of Humiliation and Desolation, signifying a complete stripping away of Judah's dignity, identity, and national well-being, leaving them utterly exposed and vulnerable.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term, an emphatic form of ʼâdôn, refers to God as the sovereign Master and Owner. Its use here emphasizes that the impending judgment, though carried out by human agents, originates from and is directed by the supreme authority of Yahweh. It underscores God's absolute control over nations and history, even when His people face severe trials.
A primitive root meaning "to be bald" or, causatively, "to shave." Figuratively, it implies laying waste or polling. In this context, it denotes a thorough, complete, and deliberate act of removal and humiliation. It's not a partial trimming but a comprehensive stripping away, signifying utter desolation and the loss of all that is valued.
This word refers specifically to the beard, which in ancient Near Eastern cultures was a profound symbol of honor, masculinity, and maturity. Its removal was an act of extreme disgrace, a public shaming, or a sign of deep mourning or captivity. The consumption of the beard, alongside the shaving of the head and feet, symbolizes total degradation and the stripping away of national pride and identity.
Verse Breakdown
"In the same day shall the Lord shave"
This phrase declares the immediacy and certainty of God's judgment. The "same day" points to the time when the Assyrian threat, which Ahaz invoked, would turn against Judah. It firmly establishes Yahweh as the active agent behind the impending catastrophe, not merely a passive observer.
"with a razor that is hired, [namely], by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria"
Here, Assyria is explicitly identified as the "razor," a sharp instrument of destruction. The phrase "hired" emphasizes that Assyria is not acting independently but is an instrument in God's hand, employed for His specific purposes of judgment. "Beyond the river" (referring to the Euphrates) clearly identifies the foreign power as the Assyrian Empire, highlighting its distant origin and formidable might. This is a profound irony, as Ahaz had sought to "hire" Assyria for his own protection, only for God to "hire" them for Judah's punishment.
"the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard"
This is the core imagery of humiliation and desolation. Shaving the head (the most prominent part of the body, symbolizing leadership and honor), the "hair of the feet" (likely referring to pubic hair, emphasizing extreme thoroughness and degradation, leaving no part untouched), and consuming the beard (the ultimate symbol of male dignity and honor) collectively convey a complete and utter stripping away of Judah's identity, status, and prosperity. It signifies national disgrace, vulnerability, and a profound loss of power and self-respect.
Literary Devices
The prophecy in Isaiah 7:20 is rich with Metaphor and Symbolism. The most prominent metaphor is the depiction of the Assyrian Empire as a "razor." This image vividly conveys the sharpness, precision, and devastating effectiveness of the Assyrian army in executing God's judgment, cutting away all that is valued and leaving desolation. This is further amplified by the symbolism of shaving. In ancient Near Eastern culture, hair, especially the beard, was a powerful symbol of honor, dignity, and masculinity. The act of shaving the "head, and the hair of the feet," and "consuming the beard" is a deeply impactful symbol of complete national humiliation, disgrace, and the stripping away of all dignity and vitality. It represents utter desolation, a reduction to a state of vulnerability and shame akin to that of a captive or one in deep mourning. The prophecy also employs Irony, as the very power King Ahaz sought to "hire" for protection (Assyria) is revealed as the instrument God will "hire" for Judah's punishment, turning Ahaz's worldly solution into the source of his downfall.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 7:20 powerfully articulates God's absolute sovereignty over human history and the consequences of human unbelief. It reveals that even the most formidable earthly powers are mere instruments in the hands of the Almighty, used to accomplish His divine purposes, whether for judgment or for the ultimate unfolding of His redemptive plan. The prophecy serves as a stark warning that relying on worldly strength rather than divine faithfulness inevitably leads to severe consequences, often through the very means one sought for security. It underscores the principle that God's justice is unwavering and that His people are not exempt from discipline when they turn from Him.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 7:20 offers profound lessons for believers today, challenging us to examine the true object of our trust. In a world fraught with uncertainties and challenges, it is tempting to seek security and solutions in human strength, financial stability, political alliances, or personal ingenuity, much like King Ahaz sought help from Assyria. However, this verse serves as a timeless reminder that misplaced trust inevitably leads to greater trouble. It calls us to place our faith unreservedly in God's sovereignty and provision, even when circumstances seem overwhelming or when His way seems counter-intuitive to worldly wisdom. Recognizing that God is ultimately in control of all nations and events, capable of using any instrument to accomplish His purposes, should foster a deep sense of humility and dependence on Him. Our security is not found in the strength of our alliances or resources, but in the unwavering faithfulness of our God, who alone is our refuge and strength.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Assyria referred to as a "razor that is hired"?
The "razor" is a powerful metaphor for the Assyrian Empire, emphasizing its sharpness, destructive capability, and the thoroughness with which it would devastate Judah. The phrase "hired" signifies that Assyria is not acting on its own initiative in this context, but rather as an instrument in the hand of God. God is depicted as the one who "hires" or employs Assyria to execute His judgment upon Judah for their unbelief and disobedience. This highlights God's absolute sovereignty over all nations and His ability to use even pagan empires to accomplish His divine purposes, turning King Ahaz's desperate worldly alliance into the very means of his nation's humiliation.
What is the significance of shaving the head, feet, and beard in this prophecy?
In ancient Near Eastern cultures, hair, especially the beard, was a profound symbol of honor, dignity, masculinity, and social standing. To have one's head, feet (likely referring to pubic hair, signifying extreme thoroughness and degradation), and beard shaved was an act of extreme humiliation and disgrace. It was a practice associated with captives, slaves, or those in deep mourning, signifying a complete loss of status, power, and identity. Therefore, this imagery in Isaiah 7:20 symbolizes the total and utter desolation, stripping away of dignity, and national humiliation that would befall Judah as a consequence of God's judgment, leaving them vulnerable and exposed. This imagery also appears in other prophetic contexts, such as Ezekiel 5:1, reinforcing its symbolic weight.
Did this prophecy against Judah by Assyria come true?
Yes, the prophecy largely came to pass. While Judah itself was not completely destroyed by Assyria, it suffered significant devastation, loss of territory, and became a vassal state to the Assyrian Empire. King Ahaz's decision to appeal to Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria (as recorded in 2 Kings 16:7-9) led to Assyrian intervention that indeed subdued the Syro-Ephraimite coalition, but at the cost of Judah's independence and prosperity. Assyria later invaded Judah under Sennacherib during Hezekiah's reign (Isaiah 36-37), further fulfilling the sense of overwhelming invasion and humiliation, though Jerusalem was miraculously spared at that time. The prophecy's core message of God using Assyria as an instrument of judgment for Judah's unfaithfulness was undeniably fulfilled.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 7:20, with its stark imagery of divine judgment executed through a foreign power, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in the physical desolation of a nation, but in the profound spiritual reality of God's judgment on sin being fully borne by Christ. The "razor" of Assyria, an instrument of humiliation and destruction, foreshadows the ultimate judgment that humanity deserved, a judgment that was meticulously and completely "shaved" away from those who believe, by the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ. Just as Judah's dignity was stripped away, Christ, the true King of Israel, willingly endured ultimate humiliation on the cross, being stripped of His garments, His honor, and even the sense of His Father's presence, becoming a spectacle of shame (as described in Philippians 2:7-8 and Hebrews 12:2). He became the "hired razor" of divine wrath, not as an instrument of judgment upon others, but as the one upon whom the full measure of God's righteous anger against sin was poured out, taking away the "beard" of humanity's pride and self-sufficiency, and offering true cleansing and restoration. The "day" of the Lord's judgment, prophesied for Judah, ultimately points to the decisive "day" of salvation and judgment inaugurated by Christ's first coming and consummated at His second, where He is revealed as the true sovereign over all history, bringing ultimate deliverance to those who, unlike Ahaz, place their unwavering faith in Him (as promised in John 3:16).