v. 5. The Lord spake also unto me again, in a series of prophecies whose final object was rich comfort to the true believers in Judah, saying,
v. 6. Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah, the spring and tiny brook which sprang up at the foot of the Temple-mount and, with another spring, fed the pool Siloam, that go softly, with none of the boisterousness of a large stream, such as the Euphrates, the people despising the quiet manner in which the kingdom of God works in the midst of men, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son, the latter statement referring chiefly to the people of the northern kingdom with their trust in the strength of men and in the power of huge armies,
v. 7. now, therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, that is, the Euphrates, typical of the entire heathen power bent upon the destruction of Israel, strong and many, even the king of Assyria and all his glory, his powerful host; and he shall come up over all his channels and go over all his banks, like a mighty river overflowing at the time of the spring freshets;
v. 8. and, he shall pass through Judah, penetrating to its remotest ends; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck, threatening Judah's very life; and the stretching out of his wings, as the streams leave the main channel of the river on either side, shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel, the people in whose midst the Messiah would be born. Thus the judgment would begin in Israel and progress southward to encompass Judah as well, threatening its existence. Therefore the end of the sentence is a call for help addressed to Immanuel, the Messiah, not to forsake His people, but to remember them in mercy.
v. 9. Associate yourselves, O ye people, rather, "Be wicked, rage, raise tumults," as much as ye please, and ye shall be broken in pieces, for all enemies directing their attacks against the people of God will finally be destroyed; and give ear, all ye of far countries, the nations inhabiting distant parts of the earth; gird yourselves, in preparing for battle, and ye shall be broken in pieces. The double imperative in the Hebrew and the repetition of the command makes it all the more impressive; it places the majesty of God in contrast to the feeble endeavors of men to overthrow His power.
v. 10. Take counsel together, against the Lord and against His people, Psa_2:2, and it shall come to naught; speak the word, in discussing the attack, and it shall not stand, it will most certainly be frustrated; for God is with us. With Immanuel on their side, the children of God have a refuge against all enemies. Even if all the powers of this world combine to attack the Church, they are bound to suffer defeat.
v. 11. For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, literally, "while His hand became strong," while His Spirit came upon the prophet with power, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, namely, in warning the prophet and those who adhered to his people against the great mass of reprobates in Israel and Judah,
v. 12. Say ye not, "A confederacy," to all them to whom this people shall say, "A confederacy," literally, "Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy," the prophet and his disciples and adherents should not be filled with apprehension on account of the conspiracy and confederation of Syria with the northern kingdom; neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid, they should not join the unbelieving people in their dread of the enemies.
v. 13. Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself, giving Him the honor, setting Him apart for adoration as the almighty Ruler of the universe, and let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread, standing in awe of Him and taking care not to make Him angry by a show of little faith, for He wants the believer's full confidence, his undivided trust.
v. 14. And He shall be for a sanctuary, a safe, sheltering, holy asylum to all believers; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, causing them to fall, for a gin, a trap set in the way, and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, namely, to those who do not truly fear Him.
v. 15. And many among them, all those who persist in their enmity toward the Lord, shall stumble, by their own fault, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. To him who deliberately rejects Jesus and His mercy the very Gospel-message becomes a savor of death unto death, as the application of this word by Simeon, Luk_2:34, by Paul, Rom_9:33, to the obdurate Jews of their day, and by Peter, 1Pe_2:7-8, to the unbelievers in general shows. This fact will tend all the more to make the believers serve the Lord with fear and to rejoice with trembling.