Isaiah 8:11

Wait for Yahweh

11 For Yahweh said this to me {while his hand weighed heavily on me}, and he {warned me not to walk} in the way of this people, saying,

Isaiah 8:11 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 8:11

For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand
In the strength of prophecy, as the Targum explains it; and so all the Jews' interpreters understand it of prophecy, as in ( Ezekiel 1:3 ) ( 3:14 ) : or, "the Lord spake thus to me, when he took (me) by the hand" ^F20; as parents or masters take hold of the hands of children, while they are advising and instructing them, as expressive of their great affection for them; and when they would retain them with them, or restrain them from doing amiss: and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people:
or join with them in desiring and seeking for the help of the king of Assyria, against Rezin and Remaliah's son; or in being willing to surrender up into their hands: saying;
as follows:

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 (dyh tqzxb) "apprehensione manus", Piscator; "cum manu me apprehenderit", Tigurine version.

Isaiah 8:11 In-Context

9 Be broken, [you] peoples, and be dismayed. And listen, all distant [parts of the] earth; gird yourselves and be dismayed; gird yourselves and be dismayed!

10 {Make a plan}, but it will be frustrated! Speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us!

11 For Yahweh said this to me {while his hand weighed heavily on me}, and he {warned me not to walk} in the way of this people, saying,

12 "You must not call conspiracy everything that this people calls conspiracy, and you must not {share its fear}, and you must not be in dread.

13 You shall regard Yahweh of hosts as holy, and he [is] your fear, and he [is] your dread.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "with the strength of the hand"
• [b] Literally "instructed me from walking"