Isaiah 9:1

1. Nevertheless, c.—rather, "For darkness shall not (continually) be on it (that is, the land) on which there is (now) distress" [HENGSTENBERG and MAURER]. The "for" refers, not to the words immediately preceding, but to the consolations in Isaiah 8:9 Isaiah 8:10; Isaiah 8:17; Isaiah 8:18. Do not despair, for, c.

when at the first, &c.—rather, "as the former time has brought contempt on the land of Zebulun and Naphtali (namely, the deportation of their inhabitants under Tiglath-pileser, Isaiah 8:18- :, a little before the giving of this prophecy) so shall the after-coming time bring honor to the way of the sea (the district around the lake of Galilee), the land beyond (but HENGSTENBERG, "by the side of") Jordan (Perea, east of Jordan, belonging to Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh), the circle (but HENGSTENBERG, "Galilee") (that is, region) of the "Gentiles" [MAURER, HENGSTENBERG, c.]. Galil in Hebrew is a "circle," "circuit," and from it came the name Galilee. North of Naphtali, inhabited by a mixed race of Jews and Gentiles of the bordering Phoelignician race (Judges 1:30 1 Kings 9:11). Besides the recent deportation by Tiglath-pileser, it had been sorely smitten by Ben-hadad of Syria, two hundred years before (1 Kings 9:11- :). It was after the Assyrian deportation colonized with heathens, by Esar-haddon (1 Kings 9:11- :). Hence arose the contempt for it on the part of the southern Jews of purer blood (John 1:46; John 7:52). The same region which was so darkened once, shall be among the first to receive Messiah's light (Matthew 4:13; Matthew 4:15; Matthew 4:16). It was in despised Galilee that He first and most publicly exercised His ministry; from it were most of His apostles. Foretold in Deuteronomy 33:18; Deuteronomy 33:19; Acts 2:7; Psalms 68:27; Psalms 68:28, Jerusalem, the theocratic capital, might readily have known Messiah; to compensate less favored Galilee, He ministered mostly there; Galilee's very debasement made it feel its need of a Saviour, a feeling not known to the self-righteous Jews (Psalms 68:28- :). It was appropriate, too, that He who was both "the Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of His people Israel," should minister chiefly on the border land of Israel, near the Gentiles.