Whose heart is shaken by the report of the invasion of Aram and Israel (Isaiah 7:2)? The antecedent is not Ahaz, but the “house of David.” What is the “heart” of the house of David? Is it the temple, or perhaps even more specifically, the Most Holy Place? That would fit with the “forest” simile at the end of the verse (cf. Psalm 74). What quivers at the news is the dynasty of David, and specifically the forest of cedars... Read more

Is Isaiah 7:22 a promise of abundance, a restoration of the land, or a continuation of the threat of invasion and devastation? Are curds and honey the food of Israel in Yahweh’s fruitful land, or the food of the beleaguered remnant? Both. And the proof is in verse 18. Yahweh is bringing bees from Assyria to Judah. Bees are a nuisance and a hoard of bees on everything and everywhere is worse than a nuisance. It is a plague of... Read more

Yahweh hisses for the beasts and flies and bees that invade Judah (Isaiah 5:26; 7:18). Jerusalem is left desolate, and everyone who passes by hisses in contempt (see Jeremiah 19:8). Someday, Yahweh promises to hiss again and gather His people back to the city of hissing (Zechariah 10:8). Read more

Isaiah threatens “days” against Ahaz worse than anything that has happened since Israel and Judah separated (7:17). King, people, and dynasty are threatened by these coming “days.” At the end of the verse, in apposition to the warning about coming “days,” Isaiah names the “days”: “the king of Ashur.” The days are defined by numbers here, or by clocks. The coming of the king of Ahsur is the coming of days of tribulation. Rosenstock-Huessy would be happy: Men make days. Read more

Isaiah 7:16 is a puzzle. A child will be born (v. 14), and before he is grown up (so the NASB says) “the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.” What land would that be? Perhaps the land of Israel and Aram, but while that meets the threat to Ahaz, it does so indirectly. The AV offers a better option: “the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.” That gets the syntax better and... Read more

Yahweh instructs Isaiah to meet Ahaz at the “conduit of the upper pool” (7:3; Heb. te’alat habberekah ha’elyon ). It’s the same place where the Rabshakeh will later confront Hezekiah (Isaiah 36:2). The location underscores the contrast of Ahaz and his son. The name of the location resonates with promise. Berekah means “pool” here, but resonates with the much more common word for “blessing” or “benediction.” The word for “high” (Heb. elyon ) is the Gentile name for Yahweh (Genesis... Read more

What makes you quiver? It’s a fundamental question. Isaiah sees Yahweh enthroned, and hears the voice of thunder that makes the posts of the house to quiver (6:4). Elsewhere, Yahweh makes the idols of Egypt shake in fear (19:1), and the earth itself (24:20). The wine of His judgment makes nations quiver and stagger and fall (29:9). That doesn’t move Ahaz. But when Ahaz hears about a confederation of Aram and Israel, his heard shakes within Him, and so too... Read more

What makes you quiver? It’s a fundamental question. Isaiah sees Yahweh enthroned, and hears the voice of thunder that makes the posts of the house to quiver (6:4). Elsewhere, Yahweh makes the idols of Egypt shake in fear (19:1), and the earth itself (24:20). The wine of His judgment makes nations quiver and stagger and fall (29:9). That doesn’t move Ahaz. But when Ahaz hears about a confederation of Aram and Israel, his heard shakes within Him, and so too... Read more

Isaiah uses the verb lacham seven times. The verb is related to the noun bread ( lechem ) and can mean “eat.” It is also used in military contexts, and this is the way Isaiah uses the word every time. This is not insignificant; other words were available to Isaiah – strike, smite, make war against – and he uses them all. But in various contexts, he describes war as cannibalism. Aram and Israel cannot “eat” Jerusalem (7:1). Egyptians will... Read more