Глава 9

1–7. The salvation that the Messiah gives to all the people of God. 8–21. God's judgment on the kingdom of Israel for its disobedience to the Lord. Isa.9:1–7. From the gloomy picture of the life of the Jewish people, the prophet’s gaze turns to the bright future that awaits this nation with the coming of the Messiah. Where oppressive darkness reigned, rays of life-giving light will spread widely. The joy of the Jewish people liberated from the yoke of their enemies will be extreme, because with the defeat of their enemies all wars will end forever. The culprit of such a happy change is already seen by the prophet as a born Child of the Divine nature, Who is destined to reign eternally and Who will establish the rule of justice and peace on earth. 15 Isa.9:1. Formerly the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali were belittled; but what follows will exalt the seaside route, the Transjordanian country, the pagan Galilee. The last words of the 22nd verse of the 8th chapter belong to this verse: but there will not always be darkness. In the Masoretic text, the 1st verse of the 3rd chapter is assigned to the 8th chapter as an additional, 23rd verse. "Former Time". The prophet, in fact, has in mind the sad present and immediate future of the kingdom of Israel or its sovereign regions. But since he sees these actions of the Kingdom of Israel and the Jewish people in general, on the other hand, already covered with the joy that will be given to his fellow tribesmen with the coming of the Messiah, he calls his time and the future closest to him the former time, as if already past. “The lands of Zebulun and... Naphtali” are mentioned by the prophet instead of the other two, probably because these lands primarily suffered during the invasion of the Assyrians coming from the north. “Coastal Way” - this could be the road that ran along the western shore of the Sea of ​​Tiberias and led beyond the Jordan (this is how it would be more correct to translate the expression ever hajarden, incorrectly rendered in the Russian synodal translation by the words: Trans-Jordanian country). “Pagan Galilee” – more correctly from Hebrew. district (gelil) of pagan peoples. Here, of course, is the district that was inhabited by pagans from the time when Solomon gave it to the king of Tyre, namely the region of the tribe of Naphtali (1 Kings 15:20; 2 Kings 15:29). Pointing out that the area that belonged to the tribe of Israel began to be called a pagan district, the prophet thereby clearly indicates what the derogation of the kingdom of Israel consisted of. What will be the exaltation of this country, the prophet speaks about this in the following verses. Evangelist Matthew refers this prophecy to the appearance of Jesus Christ in Galilee (Matthew 4:13–16). Isa.9:2. The people walking in darkness will see a great light; on those who live in the land of the shadow of death the light will shine. The prophet continues to depict the future prosperity that will come for the northern kingdom and for all of Israel in general with the coming of the Messiah. “The land of the shadow of death” is the same as Sheol, the underworld, where there is no light at all. This is the name given to the entire land of Israel, where the impenetrable darkness of disasters and superstitions reigns, mainly Galilee, which was under the influence of neighboring pagan states. Isa.9:3. You will multiply the people, increase their joy. He will rejoice before You, as one rejoices during the harvest, as one rejoices when dividing the spoils. The people, weakened in numbers by losses in battles with enemies and the taking of a significant part of them into captivity, will again, thanks to the Almighty, multiply and will rejoice in the fact that they will again feel in communion with the Lord (before you). Isa.9:4. For the yoke that weighed him down, and the rod that struck him, and the reed of his oppressor, you will break in pieces, as in the day of Midian. Instead of: “a rod that struck,” (an expression identical to the following) it is better to read: “a collar on his shoulders.” “The Day of Midian” is the day of the great defeat inflicted by Gideon on the Midianites (Judges 7 et seq.). Isa.9:5. For all the shoes of a warrior during battle and clothes stained with blood will be given to be burned as food for the fire. “Warrior's shoes” more precisely: heavy soldier's boots (called caligae by the Romans). “Clothes” – a military cloak. From this it is clear that the enemy soldiers will have nothing to wear to go on a campaign against Israel and that, as a result, Israel will be left alone by the enemies. Isa.9:6. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. "Baby". The culprit of this change in the fate of Israel will be the Baby, that is, obviously, that Baby Emmanuel, whose birth was discussed in the 7th chapter. 14th century and about whom as the Lord and Protector of the Holy Land is spoken of in ch. 8th. “Born” - the prophet contemplates the birth of the Messiah - the Child, as an already accomplished fact. “Son” means either God’s or King’s. In the latter case, the word son should take on the meaning of a descendant (of course, David). “Dominion”, i.e. on His shoulders the signs of royal dignity will be visible - for example, a gold chain. “They will call His name” - that is, they will recognize Him, completely in accordance with His actual dignity, as a Being of Divine nature. This is precisely the meaning of the following names of the Baby. “Wonderful Advisor” (the analogy with the following expression and the rhythm force us to combine both of these words into one expression). “Mighty God” (cf. Is. 10:21), the Father of eternity or the author of time, on whom the life of the world is completely dependent at all times (Is. 47:6). “Prince of Peace” (cf. Zech.9:9; Mic.5:2), Who can bring perfect peace to the earth. Isa.9:7. There will be no end to the increase of His government and peace on the throne of David and in his kingdom, so that He may establish it and strengthen it with judgment and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. This baby will sit on the throne of David and will reign, strong in His complete and perfect justice towards all His subjects. His kingdom will be eternal, because the Lord of hosts, zealous for the salvation of His people, gives Him the strength to complete this entire work of saving the people of Israel, behind which stands all of humanity. The Archangel Gabriel, in his gospel to the Blessed Virgin, attributes this prophecy to the activity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 1:32–33). And all the previous verses of the 9th chapter also have a direct prophetic relationship to our Lord Jesus Christ. This is how the prediction about the Light that will shine within Galilee applies to Him. Christ, not only for His people, but also for all humanity, was the True Light, which enlightens every person (John 1:4, 5; John 3:19; John 8:12). Further, the reference to Him as a Baby serves as a prophecy about the Messiah’s acceptance of our human nature and His gradual growth. In the same way, those predictions about Him that are contained in the names given to the Baby in verse 6 were fulfilled in Christ. Christ truly, as a mighty God, crushed the power of the devil (John 12:31) and became the Prince of Peace because, thanks to His intercession, people were again reconciled with God and among themselves (Eph.2:14; 1 Tim.2:5; Col.1:20). Isaiah 9:8–21. From the bright picture of the future, the prophet again turns to the sad present. Both the kingdoms of Israel and Judah deserve punishment from God, and therefore disasters will strike them one after another. Mutual strife and discord will especially cause many misfortunes to Israel. Isa.9:8. The Lord sends a word to Jacob, and it comes to Israel, Speech starting with 8th century. Chapter 9 and ending with the 4th verse of the 10th, was uttered immediately after the Syrian-Israelite invasion of Judea and the subsequent attack of Tiglath-Pilezer on the kingdom of Israel. This is clearly indicated in verses 9 and 13. The “Word” is the sentence of God falling from heaven like lightning. “Jacob and... Israel” are hardly synonyms here; where these words mean parts of the people, the latter indicates the northern, Israelite, kingdom, and the first - the kingdom of Judah (cf. Is. 2:5; Is. 8:17). Isa.9:9. so that all the people, Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria, may know, who say with pride and an arrogant heart: Isa.9:10. the bricks have fallen - we will build from hewn stone; The sycamores have been cut down - we will replace them with cedars. The northern kingdom of Israel is particularly arrogant. Instead of bricks - a rather fragile material - it wants to build its buildings from expensive and durable cut stones; instead of sycamores or fig trees, which are quite common in Palestine, from which beams, doors, window grilles and stairs were made, it was made from strong cedar brought from Lebanon. By this, of course, the prophet symbolically points to the proud dreams of the Israelis regarding the restoration of their political importance. Isa.9:11. And the Lord will raise up enemies of Rezin against him, and will arm his enemies: “Against him,” that is, against the kingdom of Israel of the enemies of Rezin, that is, the Assyrians. Isa.9:12. The Syrians are from the east, and the Philistines are from the west; and they will devour Israel with their mouths full. Despite all this, His anger will not be turned away, and His hand will still be stretched out. The Syrians, former friends of Israel, will also become its enemies. The “Philistines” were the original enemies of Judah (2 Chronicles 28 et seq.). (Peshito's translation: Edom from the east (instead of the Syrians) would fit in this place only on the assumption that in verse 11 we are talking about the kingdom of Judah, and meanwhile, as can be seen from verse 12, we are talking about Israel, to which the Edomites had no particular enmity). Isa.9:13. But the people do not turn to Him who beats them, and they do not resort to the Lord of hosts. Isa.9:14. And the Lord will cut off Israel's head and tail, palm and cane, in one day: Isa.9:15. an old man and a noble man is the head; and the prophet-false teacher is the tail. Isa.9:16. And the leaders of this people will lead them astray, and those they lead will perish. “He who strikes” is the Lord who sends the Assyrians to the kingdom of Israel. The “head” is the lawfully appointed rulers and leaders of the people, and the tail is the false prophets (cf. v. 15), who themselves arrogated to themselves the title of leaders of the people (1 Kings 22:6; Ezek. 13:10). Isa.9:17. Therefore the Lord will not rejoice over his young men, and will not have mercy on his orphans and widows: for they are all hypocrites and evildoers, and the lips of all speak wickedly. Despite all this, His anger will not be turned away, and His hand will still be stretched out. “The Lord will not rejoice.” An elderly man looks with consolation at the younger generation. But the young men of Israel will not please the Lord. “He will not have mercy on orphans and widows.” It must be assumed that both widows and orphans among the people of Israel aroused such wrath of God against themselves through their sins. Isa.9:18. For iniquity has flared up like fire, consuming the thorns and thorny bushes and blazing in the thickets of the forest, and columns of smoke are rising. The prophet likens the “lawlessness” of Israel to a forest fire, which, given the dryness of the trees in Palestine, spreads quickly. Isa.9:19. The wrath of the Lord of hosts will scorch the earth, and the people will become like food for fire; A man will not spare his brother. Isa.9:20. And they will cut on the right side, and they will remain hungry; and they will eat on the left, and will not be satisfied; each one will devour the flesh of his own muscle: Isa.9:21. Manasseh - Ephraim, and Ephraim - Manasseh, both together - Judah. Despite all this, His anger will not be turned away, and His hand will still be stretched out. For this lawlessness, which destroys the internal strength of the kingdom of Israel, the Lord will turn His wrath upon it, which will fill the land of Israel like fire. The most visible evidence of God's wrath against the kingdom of Israel will be the civil strife that begins there. “To devour the flesh of one’s own muscle,” that is, to destroy one’s own brothers, fellow tribesmen, who should be as dear to a person as one’s own hands. "Manasseh - Ephraim and Ephraim - Manasseh". Here the prophet points to the bloodshed that took place in the kingdom of Israel in general during the change of sovereigns who came from different tribes. Each tribe, of course, stood for the challenger belonging to that tribe (eg, 2 Kings 15:14, 30). Therefore, the Kingdom of Israel, for the most part, soon perished. It existed for 257 years and had twenty kings at that time. As stated above, 1st Art. Chapter 9 Russian translation should be assigned to Chapter 8. From the 2nd Art. Chapter 9 on the 5th there is the first stanza of the prophecy about the birth of the Messiah and the liberation of the people from the yoke of enemies. Art. 6–7 is the second stanza of the same prophecy (each stanza contains two hemistiches). Art. 8 to 12 is the first stanza of a new prophecy - about the punishment that will befall Israel and Judah. (2+2+3 hemistiches). From 13 to 17 is the second stanza of the same prophecy, which talks about the anarchy that will begin in the kingdom of Israel (2+2+3). From 18th to 21st Art. – the third stanza, which talks about civil strife between the tribes of the kingdom of Israel and their enmity towards the kingdom of Judah (3+2+2). Some biblical critics do not recognize the authenticity of verses 2–7 of chapter 9, which contain a prophecy about the birth of the Messiah and His Divine dignity. But the reasons these critics give for their opinion are extremely shaky. Marti’s main argument in this case is that the idea of ​​a personal Messiah is a later, even post-exilic idea. But what the post-exilic prophets Haggai (Hag. 2:7) and Zechariah (Zech. 3 et seq.; Zech. 6:12–13 et seq.) say about the Messiah clearly indicates that the idea of ​​the Messiah-King has long been rooted in the consciousness of the people of Israel. Art. Chapters 6–7 of the 9th are read as a paremia for the feast of the Nativity of Christ, since the Church sees here a direct prophecy about the birth of the Savior of the world. At the same time, in the previous chapters the human origin of the Messiah is completely substantiated... He is not only God, but also a man. Note ed. You might be interested in: