Isaiah 7:8-9 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 7:9

The faith-condition. "If ye have no faith, verily ye shall not have continuance" (Cheyne's translation). "If ye hold not fast, verily ye shall not stand fast." See the expression illustrated in Jehoshaphat, when going out to meet the army of the Moabites and Ammonites ( 2 Chronicles 20:20 ). Habakkuk gives the same sentiment in his familiar expression, "The just shall live by his faith." Faith in him and in his Word is the one universal condition that God demands, and righteously demands,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 7:8

For the head of Syria - The “capital.” The “head” is often used in this sense.Is Damascus - For an account of this city, see the notes at Isaiah 17:1; compare the notes at Acts 9:2. The sense of this passage is, ‘Do not be alarmed as if Rezin was about to enlarge his kingdom, by taking Judea and making Jerusalem his capital. The revolution which these kings contemplate cannot be accomplished. The kingdoms of Syria and Israel shall not be enlarged by the conquest of Judah. The center of their... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 7:9

And the head of Ephraim - The capital city of Ephraim, or of Israel.Is Samaria - This was long the capital of the kingdom of Israel. For a description of this city, see the notes at Isaiah 28:1. The meaning of the prophet is, that Samaria should continue to be the head of Ephraim; that is, Jerusalem should not be made its capital.If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established - There is considerable variety in the interpretation of these words, though the general sense is evident.... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 7:7-9

Isaiah 7:7-9. It shall not stand Namely, their evil counsel. For the head of Syria is Damascus As if he had said, As Damascus is the head city of Syria, and Rezin is the head, or king, of Damascus, so shall they continue to be, and not advance themselves, and enlarge their territories, by possessing themselves of Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah as they design. Rezin shall be kept within his own bounds, and be head of Damascus only. And, in a similar sense, (Isaiah 7:9,) Samaria shall... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Isaiah 7:1-25

7:1-12:6 JUDAH IN THE REIGN OF AHAZChapters 7-12 belong to the reign of Ahaz, when Pekah the king of Israel and Rezin the king of Syria (Aram) joined forces to attack Ahaz, with the aim of forcing Judah into their anti-Assyrian alliance. Before reading these chapters, readers should be familiar with the historical background given in the introduction under the heading ‘Israel and Syria attack Judah’.Isaiah’s message for Ahaz (7:1-25)When the Judean king Ahaz hears of the approach of the... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Isaiah 7:8

the = though the. Damascus: which is soon to be spoiled. Rezin: a firebrand soon to be quenched. He was the last independent king of Syria. and = yet. threescore and five years. To be made up thus: Ahaz 14 + Hezekiah 29 + Manasseh 22 = 65 (13 X 5). Fulfilled in 567-6 B.C. that it be not a people = shall be no more a people. But Judah shall return (Isaiah 6:13 ). read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Isaiah 7:9

If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia for emphasis and to attract attention to the importance of the sentence. Hebrew. 'im l'o tha'dminu, ki lo the'amenu, which may be Englished thus: "If ye will not trust, ye shall not be trusted". Greek have no belief. . . find no relief; or, will not understand. . . . shall not surely stand; or, no confiding . . . no abiding. Isaiah 7:17 shows that Ahaz did not trust. ye. But specially... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Isaiah 7:7-9

Isaiah 7:7-9. Thus saith the Lord God, &c.— We have in these verses the grounds of the consolation given to Ahaz, namely, the overthrow of this expedition; with an admonitory caution to the Jews. Vitringa renders the 8th and 9th verses, For Damascus shall be the head only of Syria, and Rezin the head of Damascus; and within sixteen years and five Ephraim shall be broken, and be no longer a people. Isaiah 7:9. And the head of Ephraim shall be Samaria, and the head of Samaria Remaliah's son.... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 7:8

8. head—that is, in both Syria and Israel the capital shall remain as it is; they shall not conquer Judah, but each shall possess only his own dominions. threescore and five . . . not a people—As these words break the symmetry of the parallelism in this verse, either they ought to be placed after "Remaliah's son," in Isaiah 7:9, or else they refer to some older prophecy of Isaiah, or of Amos (as the Jewish writers represent), parenthetically; to which, in Isaiah 7:9- :, the words, "If ye will... read more