1Prohlášení proti Damašku:1 Pohleďte, Damašek se odstěhoval a není městem a stala se z něho hromada, rozpadající se zřícenina.2 (11Pa 18:5 Jr 49:23 Am 1:5 22Kr 16:9 Iz 8:4 Za 9:1) 2Aroerská města,1 jež zůstala, se stávají pouhými místy pro stáda, kde skutečně lehají, a nikdo nepůsobí, aby se chvěla.2 (1Nu 32:34 Joz 13:16 2Kr 10:33 Jr 48:19 2Sf 2:7) 3A v Efraimovi bylo přivedeno k zániku opevněné město1 a v Damašku království;2 a ti ze Sýrie, kteří zbyli, budou právě jako sláva izraelských synů, je výrok Jehovy vojsk.3 (12Kr 17:6 Iz 7:8 Oz 5:14 Oz 9:13 22Kr 16:9 3Iz 28:2 Oz 9:11) 4A v ten den se stane, že Jákobova sláva se poníží,1 dokonce tučnost jeho masa zhubne.2 (1Iz 9:9 Iz 10:4 2Dt 32:15 Iz 10:16) 5A až bude žnec sbírat stojící obilí a jeho vlastní paže bude sklízet klasy,1 stane se, že bude dokonce jako ten, kdo paběrkuje klasy v nížině Refajim2. (1Dt 23:25 Jr 9:22 Oz 6:11 Jl 3:13 2Joz 15:8 Joz 18:16 2S 5:18) 6A zůstanou v ní paběrky, jako když se otlouká olivovník: dvě tři zralé olivy na vrcholku ratolesti; čtyři pět na jeho plodonosných větvích, je výrok Jehovy, Boha Izraele.1 (1Dt 4:27 Dt 24:20 Sd 8:2 Iz 24:13 Ř 9:27) 7V ten den pozemský člověk vzhlédne k svému Původci a jeho vlastní oči se upřeně zahledí na Izraelova Svatého.1 (1Iz 10:20 Iz 29:19 Mi 7:7) 8A nebude se dívat na oltáře,1 dílo svých rukou;2 a nebude upřeně hledět na to, co udělaly jeho prsty, ani na posvátné kůly ani na stojany s kadidlem.3 (12Pa 31:1 2Pa 34:7 Jr 17:2 Ez 36:25 Oz 8:11 Oz 14:8 Za 13:2 2Iz 2:8 Oz 8:6 Mi 5:13 32Pa 34:4) 9V ten den se jeho hrazená města stanou podobnými zcela opuštěnému místu v lesnaté krajině, ano jako ratolest, kterou zcela opustili kvůli izraelským synům; a stane se to opuštěným úhorem.1 (1Iz 6:11 Oz 10:14 Am 3:11 Mi 5:11 Mi 7:13) 10Vždyť jsi zapomněl1 na Boha své záchrany2; a nepamatoval jsi na Skálu3 své tvrze. Proto sázíš příjemné sadby a osazuješ to odnoží cizího člověka. (1Dt 6:12 Ž 50:22 Iz 1:3 Jr 2:32 Oz 8:14 21Pa 16:35 Ž 65:5 Ž 79:9 Abk 3:18 Zj 7:10 3Dt 32:4 2S 22:32 Ž 18:2 Iz 26:4) 11Za dne snad svou sadbu pečlivě oplotíš a ráno možná docílíš, že tvé semeno vyraší, ale žeň jistě uprchne v den choroby a nevyléčitelné bolesti.1 (1Dt 28:30 Jr 12:13 Oz 8:7 Sf 1:13) 12Ten rozruch mnoha národů, které se bouří jakoby bouřlivostí moří! A ten hluk národnostních skupin, které dělají halas podobný hluku mohutných vod!1 (1Ž 29:3 Ž 65:7 Zj 16:3 Zj 17:1) 13Národnostní skupiny1 budou dělat halas podobný hluku mnoha vod. A On to jistě přísně napomene,2 a daleko to uprchne a bude to hnáno jako plevy z hor před větrem a jako víření bodláku před vichrem.3 (1Ž 2:1 Ž 67:4 Iz 13:4 2Ž 9:5 Iz 33:3 3Ž 35:5 Ž 83:13 Iz 29:5 Da 2:35 Oz 13:3) 14A za večera, jen pohleďte, je tu náhlé zděšení. Do rána - už není.1 To je podíl těch, kteří nás plení, a úděl, jenž patří těm, kteří nás drancují.2 (12Kr 19:35 Ž 37:36 2Př 22:23 Iz 33:1 Ez 39:10 Sf 2:9)
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 PROPHECY CONCERNING DAMASCUS AND ITS ALLY SAMARIA, that is, Syria and Israel, which had leagued together (seventh and eighth chapters). (
Isa 17:1-
Isa 17:11)
Damascus--put before Israel (Ephraim,
Isa 17:3), which is chiefly referred to in what follows, because it was the prevailing power in the league; with it Ephraim either stood or fell (Isa. 7:1-25).
2 cities of Aroer--that is, the cities round Aroer, and under its jurisdiction [GESENIUS]. So "cities with their villages" (
Josh 15:44); "Heshbon and all her cities" (
Josh 13:17). Aroer was near Rabbahammon, at the river of Gad, an arm of the Jabbok (
2Sam 24:5), founded by the Gadites (
Num 32:34).
for flocks-- (
Isa 5:17).
3 fortress . . . cease--The strongholds shall be pulled down (Samaria especially:
Hos 10:14;
Mic 1:6;
Hab 1:10).
remnant of Syria--all that was left after the overthrow by Tiglath-pileser (
2Kgs 16:9).
as the glory of . . . Israel--They shall meet with the same fate as Israel, their ally.
4 glory of Jacob--the kingdom of Ephraim and all that they rely on (
Hos 12:2;
Mic 1:5).
fatness . . . lean--(See on
Isa 10:16).
5 harvestman, &c.--The inhabitants and wealth of Israel shall be swept away, and but few left behind just as the husbandman gathers the corn and the fruit, and leaves only a few gleaning ears and grapes (
2Kgs 18:9-11).
with his arm--He collects the standing grain with one arm, so that he can cut it with the sickle in the other hand.
Rephaim--a fertile plain at the southwest of Jerusalem toward Beth-lehem and the country of the Philistines (
2Sam 5:18-22).
6 in it--that is, in the land of Israel.
two or three . . . in the top--A few poor inhabitants shall be left in Israel, like the two or three olive berries left on the topmost boughs, which it is not worth while taking the trouble to try to reach.
7 look to his Maker--instead of trusting in their fortresses-- (
Isa 17:3;
Mic 7:7).
8 groves--A symbolical tree is often found in Assyrian inscriptions, representing the hosts of heaven ("Saba"), answering to Ashteroth or Astarte, the queen of heaven, as Baal or Bel is the king. Hence the expression, "image of the grove," is explained (
2Kgs 21:7).
images--literally, "images to the sun," that is, to Baal, who answers to the sun, as Astarte to the hosts of heaven (
2Kgs 23:5;
Job 31:26).
9 forsaken bough--rather "the leavings of woods," what the axeman leaves when he cuts down the grove (compare
Isa 17:6).
which they left because of--rather, "which (the enemies) shall leave for the children of Israel"; literally, "shall leave (in departing) from before the face of the children of Israel" [MAURER]. But a few cities out of many shall be left to Israel, by the purpose of God, executed by the Assyrian.
10 forgotten . . . God of . . . salvation . . . rock-- (
Deut 32:15,
Deut 32:18).
plants--rather, "nursery grounds," "pleasure-grounds" [MAURER].
set in--rather, "set them," the pleasure-grounds.
strange slips--cuttings of plants from far, and therefore valuable.
11 In the day . . . thy plant--rather, "In the day of thy planting" [HORSLEY].
shalt . . . make . . . grow--MAURER translates, "Thou didst fence it," namely, the pleasure-ground. The parallel clause, "Make . . . flourish," favors English Version. As soon as thou plantest, it grows.
in the morning--that is, immediately after; so in
Ps 90:14, the Hebrew, "in the morning," is translated "early."
but . . . shall be a heap--rather, "but (promising as was the prospect) the harvest is gone" [HORSLEY].
in . . . day of grief--rather, "in the day of (expected) possession" [MAURER]. "In the day of inundation" [HORSLEY].
of desperate sorrow--rather, "And the sorrow shall be desperate or irremediable." In English Version "heap" and "sorrow" may be taken together by hendiadys. "The heap of the harvest shall be desperate sorrow" [ROSENMULLER].
The connection of this fragment with what precedes is: notwithstanding the calamities coming on Israel, the people of God shall not be utterly destroyed (
Isa 6:12-
Isa 6:13); the Assyrian spoilers shall perish (
Isa 17:13-
Isa 17:14).
12 SUDDEN DESTRUCTION OF A GREAT ARMY IN JUDEA (namely that of the Assyrian Sennacherib), AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE EVENT TO THE ETHIOPIAN AMBASSADORS. (Isa. 17:12-18:7)
Woe . . . multitude--rather, "Ho (Hark)! a noise of," &c. The prophet in vision perceives the vast and mixed Assyrian hosts (Hebrew, "many peoples," see on
Isa 5:26): on the hills of Judah (so "mountains,"
Isa 17:13): but at the "rebuke" of God, they shall "flee as chaff."
to the rushing . . . that make--rather, "the roaring . . . roareth" (compare
Isa 8:7;
Jer 6:23).
13 shall . . . shall--rather, "God rebuketh (
Ps 9:5) them, and they flee--are chased"; the event is set before the eyes as actually present, not future.
chaff of . . . mountains--Threshing floors in the East are in the open air on elevated places, so as to catch the wind which separates the chaff from the wheat (
Ps 88:13;
Hos 13:3).
rolling thing--anything that rolls: stubble.
14 eventide . . . before morning--fulfilled to the letter in the destruction "before morning" of the vast host that "at eveningtide" was such a terror ("trouble") to Judah; on the phrase see
Ps 90:6;
Ps 30:5.
he is not--namely, the enemy.
us--the Jews. A general declaration of the doom that awaits the foes of God's people (
Isa 54:17).
Isaiah announces the overthrow of Sennacherib's hosts and desires the Ethiopian ambassadors, now in Jerusalem, to bring word of it to their own nation; and he calls on the whole world to witness the event (
Isa 18:3). As
Isa 17:12-
Isa 17:14 announced the presence of the foe, so
Isa 18:1-
Isa 18:7 foretells his overthrow.