Isa 17:1-3 | Clarke | e4.org | CHAPTER XVII Judgments of God upon Damascus , 1-3; and upon Israel , 4-6. Good effects of these judgments on the small remnant or gleaning that should escape them , 7, 8. The same judgments represented in other but stronger terms, and imputed to irreligion and neglect of God , 9-11. The remaining verses are a distinct prophecy, a beautiful detached piece, worked up with the greatest elegance, sublimity, and propriety; and forming a noble description of the formidable invasion and sudden overthrow of Sennacherib, exactly suitable to the event , 12-14. This prophecy by its title should relate only to Damascus; but it full as much concerns, and more largely treats of, the kingdom of Samaria and the Israelites, confederated with Damascus and the Syrians against the kingdom of Judah. It was delivered probably soon after the prophecies of the seventh and eighth chapters, in the beginning of the reign of Ahaz; and was fulfilled by Tiglath-pileser's taking Damascus, and carrying the people captives to Kir, ( ,) and overrunning great part of the kingdom of Israel, and carrying a great number of the Israelites also captives to Assyria; and still more fully in regard to Israel, by the conquest of the kingdom, and the captivity of the people, effected a few years after by Shalmaneser.-L. NOTES ON CHAP. XVII Verse 1. The burden of Damascus. ] Which is, according to the common version, The cities of Aroer are forsaken . It has already been observed by the learned prelate that the prophecy, as it relates to Damascus, was executed in the beginning of the reign of Ahaz, probably about the third year. If we credit Midrash , the Damascenes were the most extensive and flagrant of all idolaters. "There were in Damascus three hundred and sixty-five streets, in each of these was an idol, and each idol had his peculiar day of worship; so that the whole were worshipped in the course of the year." This, or any thing like this, was a sufficient reason for this city's destruction. A ruinous heap ] For mei , "a ruinous heap," the Septuagint reads lei , "for a ruin," the Vulgate kei , "as a ruin." I follow the former.

‏ Isaiah 17:1-3

CHAPTER XVII

Judgments of God upon Damascus, 1-3;

and upon Israel, 4-6.

Good effects of these judgments on the small remnant or gleaning that should escape them, 7, 8.

The same judgments represented in other but stronger terms, and imputed to irreligion and neglect of God, 9-11.

The remaining verses are a distinct prophecy, a beautiful detached piece, worked up with the greatest elegance, sublimity, and propriety; and forming a noble description of the formidable invasion and sudden overthrow of Sennacherib, exactly suitable to the event, 12-14.

This prophecy by its title should relate only to Damascus; but it full as much concerns, and more largely treats of, the kingdom of Samaria and the Israelites, confederated with Damascus and the Syrians against the kingdom of Judah. It was delivered probably soon after the prophecies of the seventh and eighth chapters, in the beginning of the reign of Ahaz; and was fulfilled by Tiglath-pileser's taking Damascus, and carrying the people captives to Kir, (2Ki 16:9,) and overrunning great part of the kingdom of Israel, and carrying a great number of the Israelites also captives to Assyria; and still more fully in regard to Israel, by the conquest of the kingdom, and the captivity of the people, effected a few years after by Shalmaneser.-L.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVII

Verse 1. The burden of Damascus.] Which is, according to the common version, The cities of Aroer are forsaken. It has already been observed by the learned prelate that the prophecy, as it relates to Damascus, was executed in the beginning of the reign of Ahaz, probably about the third year. If we credit Midrash, the Damascenes were the most extensive and flagrant of all idolaters. "There were in Damascus three hundred and sixty-five streets, in each of these was an idol, and each idol had his peculiar day of worship; so that the whole were worshipped in the course of the year." This, or any thing like this, was a sufficient reason for this city's destruction.

A ruinous heap] For mei, "a ruinous heap," the Septuagint reads lei, "for a ruin," the Vulgate kei, "as a ruin." I follow the former.

Verse 2. The cities of Aroer are forsaken-"The cities are deserted for ever"] What has Aroer on the river Arnon to do with Damascus? and if there be another Aroer on the northern border of the tribe of Gad, as Reland seems to think there might be, this is not much more to the purpose. Besides, the cities of Aroer, if Aroer itself is a city, makes no good sense. The Septuagint, for aroer, read adey ad, ειςτοναιωνα, for ever, or for a long duration. The Chaldee takes the word for a verb from arah, translating it cherebu, devastabuntur, "they shall be wasted." The Syriac read adoeir. So that the reading is very doubtful. I follow the Septuagint as making the plainest sense.

Verse 3. The remnant of Syria-"The pride of Syria."] For shear, "remnant," Houbigant reads seeth, "pride," answering, as the sentence seems evidently to require, to cabod, "the glory of Israel." The conjecture is so very probable that I venture to follow it.

As the glory] bichbod, "IN the glory," is the reading of eight MSS., and ten editions.