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Commentary on Isaiah 9 verses 8–21
Here are terrible threatenings, which are directed primarily against Israel, the kingdom of the ten tribes, Ephraim and Samaria, the ruin of which is here foretold, with all the woeful confusions that were the prefaces to that ruin, all which came to pass within a few years after; but they look further, to all the enemies of the throne and kingdom of Christ the Son of David, and read the doom of all the nations that forget God, and will not have Christ to reign over them. Observe,
I. The preface to this prediction (Isa 9:8): The Lord sent a word into Jacob, sent it by his servants the prophets. He warns before he wounds. He sent notice what he would do, that they might meet him in the way of his judgments; but they would not take the hint, took no care to turn away his wrath, and so it lighted upon Israel; for no word of God shall fall to the ground. It fell upon them as a storm of rain and hail from on high, which they could not avoid: It has lighted upon them, that is, it is as sure to come as if come already, and all the people shall know by feeling it what they would not know by hearing of it. Those that are willingly ignorant of the wrath of God revealed from heaven against sin and sinners shall be made to know it.
II. The sins charged upon the people of Israel, which provoked God to bring these judgments upon them. 1. Their insolent defiance of the justice of God, thinking themselves a match for him: "They say, in the pride and stoutness of their heart, Let God himself do his worst; we will hold our own, and make our part good with him. If he ruin our houses, we will repair them, and make them stronger and finer than they were before. our landlord shall not turn us out of doors, though we pay him no rent, but we will keep in possession. If the houses that were built of bricks be demolished in the war, we will rebuild them with hewn stones, that shall not so easily be thrown down. If the enemy cut down the sycamores, we will plant cedars in the room of them. we will make a hand of God's judgments, gain by them, and so outbrave them." Note, Those are ripening apace for ruin whose hearts are unhumbled under humbling providences; for God will walk contrary to those who thus walk contrary to him and provoke him to jealousy, as if they were stronger than he. 2. Their incorrigibleness under all the rebukes of Providence hitherto (Isa 9:13); The people turn not unto him that smiteth them (they are not wrought upon to reform their lives, to forsake their sins, and to return to their duty), neither do they seek the Lord of hosts; either they are atheists, and have no religion, or idolaters, and seek to those gods that are the creatures of their own fancy and the works of their own hands. Note, That which God designs, in smiting us, is to turn us to himself and to set us a seeking him; and, if this point be not gained by less judgments, greater may be expected. God smites that he may not kill. 3. Their general corruption of manners and abounding profaneness. (1.) Those that should have reformed them helped to debauch them (Isa 9:16): The leaders of this people mislead them, and cause them to err, by conniving at their wickedness and countenancing wicked people, and by setting them bad examples; and then no wonder if those that are led of them be deceived and so destroyed. But it is ill with a people when their physicians are their worst disease. "Those that bless this people, or call them blessed (so the margin reads it), that flatter them, and soothe them in their wickedness, and cry Peace, peace, to them, cause them to err; and those that are called blessed of them are swallowed up ere they are aware." We have reason to be afraid of those that speak well of us when we do ill; see Pro 24:24; Pro 29:5. (2.) Wickedness was universal, and all were infected with it (Isa 9:17): Every one is a hypocrite and an evil doer. If there be any that are good, they do not, they dare not appear, for every mouth speaks folly and villany; every one is profane towards God (so the word properly signifies) and an evil doer towards man. These two commonly go together: those that fear not God regard not man; and then every mouth speaks folly, falsehood, and reproach, both against God and man; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
III. The judgments threatened against them for this wickedness of theirs; let them not think to go unpunished.
1.In general, hereby they exposed themselves to the wrath of God, which should both devour as fire and darken as smoke. (1.) It should devour as fire (Isa 9:18): Wickedness shall burn as the fire; the displeasure of God, incurred by sin, shall consume the sinners, who have made themselves as briers and thorns before it, and as the thickets of the forest, combustible matter, which the wrath of the Lord of hosts, the mighty God, will go through and burn together. (2.) It should darken as smoke. The briers and thorns, when the fire consumes them, shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke, so that the whole land shall be darkened by it; they shall be in trouble, and see no way out (Isa 9:19): The people shall be as the fuel of the fire. God's wrath fastens upon none but those that make themselves fuel for it, and then they mount up as the smoke of sacrifices, being made victims to divine justice.
2.God would arm the neighbouring powers against them, Isa 9:11, Isa 9:12. At this time the kingdom of Israel was in league with that of Syria against Judah; but the Assyrians, who were adversaries to the Syrians, when they had conquered them should invade Israel, and God would stir them up to do it, and join the enemies of Israel together in alliance against them, who yet had particular ends of their own to serve and were not aware of God's hand in their alliance. Note, When enemies are set up, and joined in confederacy against a people, God's hand must be acknowledged in it. Note further, Those that partake with each other in sin, as Syria and Israel in invading Judah, must expect to share in the punishment of sin. Nay, the Syrians themselves, whom they were now in league with, should be a scourge to them (for it is no unusual thing for those to fall out that have been united in sin), one attacking them in the front and the other flanking them or falling upon their rear; so that they should be surrounded with enemies on all sides, who should devour them with open mouth, Isa 9:12. The Philistines were not now looked upon as formidable enemies, and the Syrians were looked upon as firm friends; and yet these shall devour Israel. When men's ways displease the Lord he makes even their friends to be at war with them.
3.God would take from the midst of them those they confided in and promised themselves help from, Isa 9:14, Isa 9:15. Because the people seek not God, those they seek to and depend upon shall stand them in no stead. The Lord will cut off head and tail, branch and rush, which is explained in the next verse. (1.) Their magistrates, who were honourable by birth and office and were the ancients of the people, these were the head, these were the branch which they promised themselves spirit and fruit from; but because these caused them to err they should be cut off, and their dignity and power should be no protection to them when the abuse of that dignity and power was the great provocation: and it was a judgment upon the people to have their princes cut off, though they were not such as they should have been. (2.) Their prophets, their false prophets, were the tail and the rush, the most despicable of all. A wicked minister is the worst of all. A wicked minister is the worst of men. Corruptio optimi est pessima - The best things become when corrupted the worst. The blind led the blind, and so both fell into the ditch; and the blind leaders fell first and fell undermost.
4.That the desolation should be as general as the corruption had been, and none should escape it, Isa 9:17. (1.) Not those that were the objects of complacency. None shall be spared for love: The Lord shall have no joy in their young men, that were in the flower of their youth; nor will he say, Deal gently with the young men for my sake; no, "Let them fall with the rest, and with them let the seed of the next generation perish." (2.) Not those that were the objects of compassion. None shall be spared for pity: He shall not have mercy on their fatherless and widows, though he is, in a particular manner, the patron and protector of such. They had corrupted their way like all the rest; and, if the poverty and helplessness of their state was not an argument with them to keep them from sin, they could not expect it should be an argument with God to protect them from judgments.
5.That they should pull one another to pieces, that every one should help forward the common ruin, and they should be cannibals to themselves and one to another: No man shall spare his brother, if he come in the way of his ambition of covetousness, or if he have any colour to be revenged on him; and how can they expect God should spare them when they show no compassion one to another? Men's passion and cruelty one against another provoke God to be angry with them all and are an evidence that he is so. Civil wars soon bring a kingdom to desolation. Such there were in Israel, when, for the transgression of the land, many were the princes thereof, Pro 28:2.
(1.)In these intestine broils, men snatched on the right hand, and yet were hungry still, and did eat the flesh of their own arms, preyed upon themselves for hunger or upon their nearest relations that were as their own flesh, Isa 9:20. This bespeaks, [1.] Great famine and scarcity; when men had pulled all they could to them it was so little that they were still hungry, at least God did not bless it to them, so that they eat and have not enough, Hag 1:6. [2.] Great rapine and plunder. Jusque datum sceleri - iniquity is established by law. The hedge of property, which is a hedge of protection to men's estates, shall be plucked up, and every man shall think all that his own which he can lay his hands on (vivitur ex rapto, non hospes ab hospite tutus - they live on the spoil, and the rites of hospitality are all violated); and yet, when men thus catch at that which is none of their own, they are not satisfied. Covetous desires are insatiable, and this curse is entailed on that which is ill got, that it will never do well.
(2.)These intestine broils should be not only among particular persons and private families, but among the tribes (Isa 9:21): Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, though they be combined against Judah. Those that could unite against Judah could not unite with one another; but that sinful confederacy of theirs against their neighbour that dwelt securely by them was justly punished by this separation of them one from another. Or Judah, having sinned like Manasseh and Ephraim, shall not only suffer with them, but suffer by them. Note, Mutual enmity and animosity among the tribes of God's Israel is a sin that ripens them for ruin, and a sad symptom of ruin hastening on apace. If Ephraim be against Manasseh, and Manasseh against Ephraim, and both against Judah, they will all soon become a very easy prey to the common enemy.
6.That, though they should be followed with all these judgments, yet God would not let fall his controversy with them. It is the heavy burden of this song (Isa 9:12, Isa 9:17, Isa 9:21): For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still, that is, (1.) They do nothing to turn away his anger; they do not repent and reform, do not humble themselves and pray, none stand in the gap, none answer God's calls nor comply with the designs of his providences, but they are hardened and secure. (2.) His anger therefore continues to burn against them and his hand is stretched out still. The reason why the judgments of God are prolonged is because the point is not gained, sinners are not brought to repentance by them. The people turn not to him that smites them, and therefore he continues to smite them; for when God judges he will overcome, and the proudest stoutest sinner shall either bend or break.
He [Paul] lived not to himself but to Christ and his preaching. He crucified the world to himself, and being crucified to the world and the things which are seen, he thought all things little and too small to be desired. [He thought this] even though from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum he had fully preached the gospel, even though he had been prematurely caught up to the third heaven, and had had a vision of Paradise, and had heard unspeakable words. Such was Paul, and everyone of similar spirit with him. But we fear that in comparison with them, we may be foolish princes of Zoan, or extortionists who exact the fruits of the ground or falsely bless the people.
(Vers. 14 seqq.) And the Lord will scatter from Israel the head and the tail, the bend and the corrupt in one day. The venerable and honorable, he is the head; and the Prophet teaching falsehood, he is the tail. And there will be those who call this people blessed, deceiving, and those who are called blessed, being cast down. Therefore, the Lord will not rejoice over his young men, and will not have mercy on his orphans and widows, for every hypocrite is wicked, and every mouth has spoken foolishness. In all these things his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For wickedness is kindled as a fire: it shall devour the brier and the thorn, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm. Manasses Ephraim, and Ephraim Manassen, together they are against Judah. In all these things, his fury is not turned away, but his hand is still stretched out. Not only will the Lord raise up adversaries against him, and turn his enemies into turmoil, Syria from the East and the Philistines from the West, to devour Israel with their whole mouth, but because he has not turned back to the one striking him, nor has he sought the Lord of hosts, he will extend his hand to strike, to destroy the head and the tail, the one perverting what is right (Jeremiah 2). He himself, the long-lived and honorable one, has interpreted who is the head. And he says that the tail is the Prophet who teaches falsehood, that is, the false prophet. He spoke about the rulers and now he joins together the nobles and the common people, so that both the teachers and the disciples, the learned and the ignorant masses, should equally obey. For those who called the people blessed are deceivers; and those who were called blessed, not because of their virtue, but because of their gifts, will be thrown into death. And above, we read: My people, who call you blessed, deceive you and overthrow the paths of your feet (Isa. III, 12). In such a people, God will have no mercy on anyone: not the orphans, not the widows, because every hypocrite is one who pretends one thing and does another: promising chastity and living luxuriously, preferring poverty and filling their pockets. From where he connects and says: And the whole mouth has spoken foolishness. Because of all these things, the Lord does not cease to be angry, but still raises His hand to strike. And because they have done these things, impiety will be kindled like fire, so that it devours not the cultivated field, but thorns and thistles; not fruitful trees, but a barren wilderness, in which beasts dwell, and the consuming flame snatches away. Therefore, it is said that the density of the wilderness, with fire placed underneath, is twisted by the smoke of pride and height. For everything that is exalted and rises high can be called proud. For unknowingly desiring something, the seventy translated: and it will devour all things around the hills. From hence, the earth trembled at the anger of the Lord, and the people became fuel for the fire, because there was such cruelty in them, that they spared not even the dearest name of brotherhood, but forsaking and despising the right hand, they were satiated with the things that were on the left: while enduring hunger for pleasures and evils, and always desiring to join worse things with bad ones. Moreover, Manasseh and Ephraim, who were born of the same mother and from the same parent, erupted into such rage that they clashed with each other in hostile hatred. Let us read the volumes of Kings and Chronicles, and we will find civil wars among the people of Samaria, as they fought for different kings, and how, with their own kings killed, they surrendered to the conquest of Judah. According to the allegory, the Lord will remove both the head and the tail, the greater and the lesser. Calling them tails, not humans, but beasts, reveals that heretics use this member to protect their excrement and to repel small animals. And it joins together and distorts the head and the tail, which subvert the precepts of the law and pervert the straight way. It will also destroy the long-lived one, because it is the head, and the false prophet who is placed in the tail, and both teachers and disciples; some who praise sinners for their gifts: others who do not feel their own evils praised, nor do they repent. Because of this, the Lord will not rejoice in their youths. Woe to the city whose king is a youth! And those who have lost the true God the Father or Lord will not obtain mercy. For every heretic is a hypocrite, doing one thing and pretending another, and whatever he speaks, although it may seem to be wisdom, is foolishness. Because of these things, He stretches out His hand to punish, and like a voracious flame, He will consume all their impieties, like thorns. And words without virtues, which are compared to a fruitless jump, will be enveloped in the smoke of pride. For their punishment, the whole earth will quake, and the deceived peoples will be handed over to eternal fires, because for the sake of shameful gain, they do not spare even their own, but eagerly seize plunder from the deceived peoples, leaving behind their possessions and dwelling in the worst things. And although they always find the left path, they are never satisfied with their own errors, devouring the flesh of their own arm and fighting against the Church with equal zeal. Because of luxury and pleasures and the pursuit of wealth, people among themselves have discord, so that from one heresy two are made, and again they themselves are divided into factions, to lead away their own flocks and devour the homes of widows and sinful women, always learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 3). In all these things, the wrath of the Lord does not turn away, consuming vices and overturning; but as much as they excel in sinning, so much more does He extend His hand for punishment.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 9:16 delivers a profound prophetic indictment against the corrupt leadership of ancient Israel, asserting that those in positions of authority who intentionally or negligently mislead the populace inevitably guide them towards utter destruction. This verse powerfully reveals a divine principle of accountability, where the moral and spiritual failures of leaders directly precipitate ruin for their followers, underscoring the severe consequences of both errant guidance and the passive acceptance of such misdirection.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 9:16 employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark message with impactful clarity. The most prominent is Parallelism, specifically synthetic parallelism, where the second clause ("and they that are led of them are destroyed") expands upon and completes the thought of the first ("For the leaders of this people cause [them] to err"). This structure powerfully establishes a direct and undeniable cause-and-effect relationship, unequivocally linking the leaders' actions to the people's tragic fate. The verse also utilizes Strong Language and a degree of Hyperbole with the term "destroyed" (Hebrew: bâlaʻ), which vividly conveys an image of being swallowed up, devoured, or utterly consumed. This forceful imagery emphasizes the extreme and devastating nature of the outcome, signifying not merely a setback but complete and irreversible ruin. Furthermore, there is an implicit Metaphor of a path or way: the concept "to err" inherently implies straying from a correct or straight path, suggesting that righteousness is a divinely appointed road, and the corrupt leaders are actively diverting the people onto a crooked, perilous, and ultimately destructive one.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 9:16 powerfully articulates a fundamental biblical principle concerning the profound responsibility of leadership and the dire consequences of its failure. Theologically, it underscores God's unwavering standard of righteousness and accountability for those in authority, whether spiritual, political, or familial. When leaders betray their divine mandate by promoting falsehood, injustice, or idolatry, they not only incur God's judgment upon themselves but also become instruments of ruin for those under their charge. The verse also highlights the reciprocal responsibility of the people to exercise discernment, as their "destruction" is a direct result of being "led" astray, implying a failure to test the spirits and adhere to divine truth. This dynamic reveals God's justice, holding both the deceiver and the deceived accountable for their choices, particularly when truth and the divine standard are readily available through His covenant and prophets. It emphasizes that divine judgment is not arbitrary but a just response to the perversion of truth and the abandonment of righteousness.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 9:16 serves as a timeless and urgent warning for every generation, emphasizing the immense weight of responsibility resting upon those in positions of influence and the critical need for discernment among those who are led. For leaders—whether in government, the church, education, or even within families—this verse is a solemn reminder that their guidance has profound and often eternal consequences. They are called to lead with integrity, truth, and an unwavering commitment to God's Word, recognizing that misleading others, whether through active deception or passive negligence, can result in profound spiritual, moral, and societal destruction. For followers, the verse underscores the vital importance of not blindly adhering to any authority. It calls for active discernment, encouraging individuals to test all teachings, policies, and influences against the unchanging standard of divine truth, ensuring that their path aligns with God's righteousness rather than succumbing to destructive ideologies or practices. Both leaders and the led are thus challenged to seek wisdom, uphold truth, and walk in paths that lead to life, not ruin, understanding that accountability rests on both sides of the leadership dynamic.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What kind of "destruction" is implied for "they that are led" in Isaiah 9:16?
Answer: The "destruction" (Hebrew: bâlaʻ) implied in Isaiah 9:16 is comprehensive and severe, extending far beyond mere physical harm or military defeat. While it certainly encompasses the impending national ruin and exile that Israel faced at the hands of the Assyrians, it also signifies profound spiritual, moral, and societal annihilation. When people are led astray from God's covenant, they lose their distinct identity as His people, forfeit His blessings, and become vulnerable to the full weight of His judgment. This can manifest as a loss of spiritual vitality, moral decay, the breakdown of social order, and ultimately, a separation from God's life-giving presence, leading to a state of utter ruin and being "swallowed up" by their own sin and its consequences, as vividly outlined in passages like Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26. It implies a complete undoing of their well-being in every dimension.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 9:16, with its grim portrayal of destructive and misleading leadership, finds its ultimate and glorious contrast in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Just verses prior to this indictment, Isaiah prophesies the coming of the Messiah as the "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). Unlike the corrupt leaders of Israel who "cause them to err," Jesus is the true and perfect Shepherd who never leads His flock astray. He declares Himself to be "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), guiding His people not to destruction, but to eternal life and abundant living. He is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11), ensuring their safety, leading them to green pastures, and rescuing them from the snares of false guidance. His leadership is characterized by perfect righteousness, unwavering truth, sacrificial love, and divine wisdom, completely reversing the pattern of ruin described in Isaiah 9:16. Through His atoning work on the cross, He rescues those who were "destroyed" by sin and the deceptive guidance of the world, offering them a new path to reconciliation with God and eternal life, thereby fulfilling the promise of a kingdom where there is no end to peace and justice (Isaiah 9:7). He is the only Leader who truly leads to salvation.