Isaiah 9:14

14 So the Lord cut off Israel's head and tail, palm branch and reed in a single day.

Isaiah 9:14 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 9:14

Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail,
&c.] The former of these is afterwards interpreted of "the ancient and honourable", men in high places, civil magistrates, judges, governors, and elders of the people, the king as supreme, and all subordinate officers; and so the Targum,

``the Lord will destroy from Israel the prince and the ruler;''

and the latter is interpreted of the false prophet. The people of Israel are compared to a beast with a tail, being so sadly degenerated and corrupted; as the Romish antichrist, in both his capacities, civil and ecclesiastical, is compared to a beast; the one being the head, and the other the tail, ( Revelation 13:1 Revelation 13:2 Revelation 13:11 ) and Rome Pagan to a dragon with a tail, ( Revelation 12:3 Revelation 12:4 ) and the Saracens and Turks to locusts with tails like the tails of scorpions, ( Revelation 9:10 Revelation 9:19 ) : branch and rush, in one day.
The Septuagint render it, "great and small"; and so the Arabic version; the first word intending the great men of the nation, in flourishing circumstances, like branches of trees; the latter the common, people, like reeds and rushes, weak and feeble; so Kimchi explains them,

``the strong and the weak;''

though the Targum interprets both of the governor and lord; and so Jarchi says they signify kings and governors; but Aben Ezra renders the word root and branch; and so they may denote the utter destruction of the people of Israel, fathers and children, high and low, rich and poor. See ( Malachi 4:1 ) .

Isaiah 9:14 In-Context

12 Aram from the east and Philistia from the west have consumed Israel with open mouths. In all this, His anger is not removed, and His hand is still raised [to strike].

13 The people did not turn to Him who struck them; they did not seek the Lord of Hosts.

14 So the Lord cut off Israel's head and tail, palm branch and reed in a single day.

15 The head is the elder, the honored one; the tail is the prophet, the lying teacher.

16 The leaders of the people mislead [them], and those they mislead are swallowed up.