Isaiah 9

11. adversaries of Rezin--the Assyrians, who shall first attack Damascus, shall next advance "against him" (Ephraim). This is the punishment of Ephraim's pride in making light ( Isaiah 9:10 ) of the judgment already inflicted by God through Tiglath-pileser ( 2 Kings 15:29 ). A second Assyrian invasion The reading "princes" for "adversaries" in uncalled for.
join--rather, "arm"; cover with armor [MAURER].
his--Rezin's.

12. Syrians--Though now allies of Ephraim, after Rezin's death they shall join the Assyrians against Ephraim. "Together," in Isaiah 9:11 , refers to this. Conquering nations often enlist in their armies the subject races ( Isaiah 22:6 ; compare 2 Kings 16:9 , Jeremiah 35:11 ), [ABEN EZRA, GESENIUS]. HORSLEY less probably takes "Syrians before," as the Syrians to the east, that is, not Rezin's subjects, but the Assyrians: "Aram" being the common name of Syrians and Assyrians.
Philistines--of Palestine.
behind--from the west: in marking the points of the compass, Orientalists face the east, which is before them: the west is behind. The right hand is the south: the left, the north.
devour--as a ravenous beast ( Isaiah 1:20 , Jeremiah 10:25 , 30:16 , Numbers 14:9 ).
For all this, &c.--The burden of each strophe.

13-17. Second strophe.

turneth not--the design of God's chastisements; not fulfilled in their case; a new cause for punishment ( Jeremiah 2:20 , 5:3 ).

14. head and tail--proverbial for the highest and lowest ( Deuteronomy 28:13 Deuteronomy 28:44 ).
branch and rush--another image for the same thought ( Isaiah 19:15 ). The branch is elevated on the top of the tree: the rush is coarse and low.

15. ancient--the older.
honourable--the man of rank.
prophet . . . lies, . . . tail--There were many such in Samaria ( 1 Kings 22:6 1 Kings 22:22 1 Kings 22:23 ; compare as to "tail," Revelation 9:19 ).

16. leaders, &c.--(See Isaiah 3:12 , Margin, and

17. no joy--the parallelism, "neither . . . mercy," shows that this means, He shall have no such delight in their youthful warriors, however much they be the nation's delight and reliance, as to save them from the enemy's sword ( Isaiah 31:8 ; compare Jeremiah 18:21 ).
fatherless, &c.--not even the usual objects of His pity ( Psalms 10:14 Psalms 10:18 , 68:5 , Jeremiah 49:11 , Hosea 14:3 ) shall be spared.
hypocrite--rather, a libertine, polluted [HORSLEY].
folly--wickedness ( Psalms 14:1 ).
still--Notwithstanding all these judgments, more remain.

18-21. Third strophe.

burneth--maketh consumption, not only spreading rapidly, but also consuming like fire: sin is its own punishment.
briers . . . thorns--emblem of the wicked; especially those of low rank ( Isaiah 27:4 , 2 Samuel 23:6 ).
forest--from the humble shrubbery the flame spreads to the vast forest; it reaches the high, as well as the low.
mount up like . . . smoke--rather. "They (the thickets of the forest) shall lift themselves proudly aloft [the Hebrew is from a Syriac root, a cock, expressing stateliness of motion, from his strutting gait, HORSLEY], in (in passing into) volumes of ascending smoke" [MAURER].

19. darkened--namely, with smoke ( Isaiah 9:18 ). The Septuagint and Chaldee render it, "is burnt up," So MAURER, from an Arabic root meaning "suffocating heat."
no man . . . spare . . . brother--intestine discord snapping asunder the dearest ties of nature.

20. hungry--not literally. Image from unappeasable hunger, to picture internal factions, reckless of the most tender ties ( Isaiah 9:19 ), and insatiably spreading misery and death on every side ( Jeremiah 19:9 ).
eat--not literally, but destroy ( Psalms 27:2 , Job 19:22 ).
flesh of . . . arm--those nearest akin: their former support (helper) ( Isaiah 32:2 ) [MAURER].

21. Manasseh, Ephraim--the two sons of Joseph. So closely united as to form between them but one tribe; but now about to be rent into factions, thirsting for each other's blood. Disunited in all things else, but united "together against their brother Judah" ( 2 Kings 15:10 2 Kings 15:30 ).