Isaiah 8:9

9 Huddle together, ^[a] O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered!

Isaiah 8:9 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 8:9

Associate yourselves, O ye people
Both of Syria and Israel, whose two kings were confederate against Judah: and ye shall be broken in pieces;
as the kingdom of Syria was by Tilgathpilneser quickly after this, ( 2 Kings 16:9 ) and the kingdom of Ephraim or Israel by Shalmaneser, ( 2 Kings 17:6 ) ( Isaiah 8:8 ) : and give ear, all ye of far countries;
the Assyrians, and the nations that belonged to them, who were more remote from Judea: gird yourselves;
for a long and tedious march, and for war; it may signify the putting on of their whole armour; for, as Pausanius ^F19 says, the ancients used to call putting on of armour, girding: and ye shall be broken in pieces:
as the Assyrian army was, which came up against Jerusalem in Hezekiah's time, ( 2 Kings 19:35 ) : gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces;
this is repeated for confirmation sake, to denote the certainty of it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Boeotica sive, l. 9. p. 567.

Isaiah 8:9 In-Context

7 the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates — the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.

8 It will pour into Judah, swirling and sweeping over it, reaching up to the neck; its spreading streams will cover your entire land, O Immanuel!

9 Huddle together, O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered!

10 Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us. ”

11 For this is what the LORD has spoken to me with a strong hand, instructing me not to walk in the way of this people:

Footnotes

• [a] Or Raise the war cry or Be evil or Be broken