Commentary on Isaiah 8

Chapter 8. And the Lord said to me:

Take for yourself a new, large scroll of parchment, and write upon it with a man's stylus, concerning the swift plundering of spoils.

And make for me faithful men as witnesses: Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Barachiah.

And I approached the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son.

Call his name: Quickly-Plunder, Swiftly-Despoil.

For before the child knows how to call father or mother, he shall receive the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria before the king of the Assyrians.

According to the letter, these two commands seem to stand apart and to have nothing in common with one another;

but if anyone examines closely the force of the thoughts, he will see much continuity and a single aim.

But first it is necessary to say for what reason the form of prophecy was introduced into the life of men.

[For what reason, then, it was introduced, it is necessary to say.] God is accustomed to delay and to be slow in the punishments of sinners, just as he is quick and swift in the benefits bestowed upon those who do rightly.

This is what makes the more careless collapse into indolence—that punishment does not follow hard upon the heels of their transgressions.

In order, then, that God might both display his own long-suffering, and that they might not thereby become more careless, he devises the remedy of prophecy, instructing sinners for the present not by the experience of punishments but by foreknowledge, so that, if indeed

they become better upon hearing the threats, they may ward off the chastisement that comes through experience;

but if they persist in their insensibility, then indeed he may bring the punishment upon them.

The devil, perceiving this and considering how great the gain was, let loose the false prophets, who contradicted the prophets threatening famines, plagues, wars, and the incursion of barbarians, by announcing pleasant things instead.

For just as God wished, by the fear of his words, to ward off the punishment that comes through experience, so also the devil worked the opposite;

by the seductive charm of his words he enervated them and made them more careless, thereby placing them under the necessity of enduring the punishment that comes through the events themselves.

Then, since afterward, by trusting the false prophets and making no account of virtue, but persisting in their own sins, they drew upon themselves the chastisement, and since from the outcome both the truth of the prophets was clearly shown and the falsehood of the false prophets was refuted, the devil again contrives another device for the destruction of those he ensnares.

For he persuaded them, being easily deceived, that these [terrible] things which had befallen them came from the wrath of the demons, who were neglected and despised by them.

So then, to destroy this bait, God foretells long ages beforehand the terrible things that would overtake them, so that it might not be possible for those who deceive them to reckon what befalls them to the wrath of the demons.

And that I do not say this by conjecture, hear Isaiah as he says:

I knew that you are hard, and your neck is a sinew of iron, and your forehead is of bronze.

For this reason I spoke to you from the beginning, so that you might not say, 'The idols did this for me, and the graven and molten images brought this about.'

Neither did you know, nor were these things heard by you.

Since, then, as I said, and as one may also see from the testimony, they attributed these things to those idols, the prophecy anticipates by destroying this deception and declaring these matters long ages beforehand.

But since even so it was likely that they, being ungrateful, would say, 'You did not foretell it, we did not hear it beforehand; now you fabricate it after the event';

'for you did not know what would come to pass';

whence, then, is it clear that it was spoken? See how plainly he constructs against them a refutation from which there is no escape, and stops their shameless mouths.

For he does not permit it merely to be spoken, but commands that the things said also be written on parchment, and not simply written, so that it might not be possible for them to say that he fabricated it afterward, but he even calls as witnesses of the writing men worthy of credit, both by reason of their dignity and of their character.

For 'make for me,' he says, 'faithful men as witnesses: Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Barachiah';

so that when it comes to pass and they say that these things were not spoken long ages before, the book being brought forth and the witnesses being present might silence them in their shamelessness.

'Take a new scroll of parchment,' so that it might not perish by growing old, but might remain, stretching out through time and accusing them by means of their own writings.

'And write with a man's stylus'—that is, with a reed pen—the things that were to be.

And what were the things to be? War, a barbarian victory, the division of booty, the plundering of spoils.

'These things, then,' he says, 'write them all: Concerning the swift plundering of spoils.'

What does 'For it is at hand' mean? This saying signifies two things:

that already at that time the magnitude of their sins was demanding justice, and that punishment was at the doors.

But he himself defers it, wishing by his long-suffering to make them better and to ward off the punishment;

and that it is easy and effortless for him merely to nod, and to bring all things to their fulfillment.

For since the discourse concerned the barbarians who were about to march against them, 'Do not suppose,' he says, 'that the length of the road and the multitude of the army cause any delay;

such things are wont to occur in the case of men.

For to God even he who is far off is at hand;

so easy and effortless is it for him, in a single turning of the moment and in an instant, to bring them at once from the ends of the earth, however many they may be, and to set them upon them.

'And make for me faithful men as witnesses,'

'Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Barachiah.'

Witnesses of what? Of the time;

so that, even if the writings should be maligned, the men who are alive and were present when it was written, and who clearly know the time when these things were spoken, might be able to silence those who attempt to be shameless.

What follows holds to the same theme, bringing the refutation more clearly.

How and in what manner? Let us hear his very words.

'For I approached,' he says, 'the prophetess.'

He perhaps called his own wife thus, because she too had been deemed worthy of a prophetic spirit;

for the gifts of grace stood not among men only, but passed over also to the female sex.

For it is not as in the needs of everyday life, where the sexes are divided and some pursuits belong to men, others to women, and they could not exchange one another's tasks;

so also is it in the realm of spiritual things:

rather, the contests are equal and the crowns are shared in common.

And this one may see, both in the Old and in the New Testament, occurring with precision and throughout all of life.

Having therefore come together with her by the law of marriage, he made her to conceive.

And when the child was born, he gives it a new and paradoxical name, one that contains the history of the things that were to be.

For what does he say? 'Call his name: Quickly-Plunder, Swiftly-Despoil';

so that, even if the writings laid up in the scroll should be disbelieved, the child's appellation—containing the history of the things that would come to pass, set down before their fulfillment, and continually pronounced throughout all the time—might sew up even the mouths of those who exceedingly attempt to be shameless.

For that the prophet did not fabricate these things after the event, but foreknew them from of old, even those who exceedingly attempted to be senseless could be persuaded, seeing before the outcome of events the very child being called by that name and proclaiming aloud the teaching of the calamities that were to be.

For this very reason he also interprets the force of the prophecy and indicates the time with precision, saying thus:

For before the child knows how to call father or mother, he shall receive the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria before the king of the Assyrians.

But what he means is this.

In the time, he says, of that tender age which is not yet able to speak, the victory and the trophies shall be won—not as though the child could array himself for battle and cut down the enemy, but that at that very age, that is, in the space before the child can converse, all things shall be delivered up to the foe.

And the Lord spoke to me yet again, saying:

Because this people would not have the water of Siloam that flows gently, but would rather have Rezin and the son of Remaliah as king over you—therefore, behold, the Lord brings up upon you the strong and mighty water of the River, the king of the Assyrians.

It is God's custom not only to foretell the punishments, but also to set forth their causes, so that by this too he may instruct his hearers; and this he does here as well.

For having spoken of the plundering by the foreigners and the spoils, and having foretold the onset of the barbarians, he tells also the cause of the war.

And what is this? The ingratitude of those who dwelt in the city.

For since, he says, having a king who was gentle, mild, and kindly, they revolted and craved tyrants, and hastened to desert to a foreign rule, unable to bear their own prosperity—therefore, with greater abundance I will fulfil their desire, bringing upon them a certain barbarous and savage man.

He uses the words metaphorically, indicating both the character of the native king and the might of the barbarian;

and he does this, as I have always said, in order to render his discourse more vivid.

Because they would not have the water of Siloam;

he speaks not of water, but since the spring issues forth quietly and without noise, he likens the tranquil and gentle manner of the one then reigning to the calm flow of the waters, and calls him Siloam, on account of his unburdensome and mild disposition;

which brings the gravest accusation against the subjects, that though they bore no heavy yoke, they attempted to revolt

and to give themselves over to foreign kings.

Since therefore they will not have the mild and gentle one, he says, but Rezin and the son of Remaliah, I bring upon them, he says, the Babylonian;

and the impetuous flood of his army he calls the abundant and mighty water of a river.

Then, interpreting the metaphor, he says:

Do you see how the discourse we spoke before proves unerring—

that everywhere in its metaphors Scripture is wont to interpret itself? Which indeed it has done here also.

For having said 'river,' it did not remain in the metaphor, but told what river it meant:

The king of the Assyrians, and all his glory.

And he shall go up over every ravine of yours, and shall walk upon every wall of yours.

And he shall take away from Judea the man who is able to lift up his head or able to accomplish anything.

And his encampment shall be such as to fill the breadth of your land.

Showing that these things will come to pass not by human power, but by wrath sent from God, he depicts him not as an enemy drawing up in battle array, but as one coming upon plunder already prepared for him.

For he will not stand, he says, and draw up in battle line, but with the multitude of his forces he will cover the face of the land, and with ease will prevail.

Then, even in the wrath, there is much of his lovingkindness.

For he does not threaten to uproot their city, but foretells a certain captivity and leading away, wishing to make those who are left more chastened by the punishment of those who are taken.

For he shall take away from Judea, he says, the man who is able to lift up his head:

those in power, he says, who carry off and plunder all things, who despoil the multitude, he will make captives and slaves, so that then the lowlier may draw breath a little, and by the fear inspired by those led away, and by the impunity of their own liberty, may become better.

Able to accomplish anything:

that is, the strong man, the one able to act, the one powerful to do anything whatsoever.

And even before the leading away, by the very sight of him the barbarian will sufficiently strike you with terror, he says, filling the whole land with barbarian bodies.

And his encampment shall be such as to fill the breadth of your land.

Know, O nations, and be overcome;

give ear, even to the ends of the earth, and though you be strong, be overcome.

For if you grow strong again, again you shall be overcome.

And whatever counsel you take counsel of, the Lord shall bring it to nought;

and the word that you speak shall not stand among you, for God is with us.

It seems to me that he is here foretelling the victory of Hezekiah, and that splendid trophy, and the cause of that very victory.

For though they had arms, he says, and countless hosts and warlike experience, yet the alliance mightier than all is with us, that is, God.

For the barbarian came, as he had threatened before, and having taken many cities, departed;

but afterward, when he came up against them a second time, he suffered the very opposite.

These things too, then, the prophet foretells, and proclaims aloud the author of the victory, and directs his discourse to the barbarians themselves.

For do not, he says, take confidence in your former victory;

for in the present assault a very great alliance was present with us.

Know this, then, and withdraw, as those who are attempting the impossible.

Then, making manifest the author of that victory, and that the report bearing news of these achievements will reach to the uttermost parts of the earth, he says:

Give ear, even to the ends of the earth.

For no one was left unaware of the things that then befell in Jerusalem;

Give ear, even to the ends of the earth, and you that are strong, be overcome.

For the barbarian at that time had acquired a great reputation for might.

By 'the strong' here he means not those who are great in bodily vigor, but also those great in abundance of riches and in the splendor of renown.

For if you grow strong again, he says, again you shall be overcome; and whatever counsel you take counsel of, the Lord shall bring it to nought; and the word that you speak shall not stand among you, for God is with us.

For since they had wicked designs, and expected to uproot the city itself from its foundations, and

thus to return home, the prophet brings their designs into the open and says:

everything will come to a stand at their mere words.

Then, since he had announced deeds surpassing human nature, in order to render his discourse worthy of credit, he takes refuge in the dignity of the one who brings them to pass, continually saying, 'For God is with us,' and that he himself will scatter all these contrivances.