Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 9:10

"The bricks are fallen, but we will build with hewn stone; the sycomores are cut down, but we will put cedars in their place." — Isaiah 9:10 (ASV)

The bricks are fallen down - The language of this verse is figurative, but the sentiment is plain. It contains the confession of the inhabitants of Samaria, that their affairs were in a ruinous and dilapidated state, but also their self-confident assurance that they would be able to repair the evils and restore their nation to more than its former magnificence.

Bricks, in Eastern countries, were made of clay and straw and were rarely fired. Therefore, exposed to sun and rain, they soon dissolved. Walls and houses constructed of such materials would not be very permanent, and building with them is strongly contrasted with building in a permanent and elegant manner with hewn stone.

The meaning is that their former state was one of less splendor than they designed their subsequent state to be. Desolation had come upon their country, and this they could not deny. But they confidently boasted that they would more than repair the evil.

We will build - Our ruined houses and walls.

With hewn stones - At once more permanent and elegant than the brick structures had been.

The sycamores - These trees grew abundantly in the lowlands of Judea and were not highly valued (1 Kings 10:27; 2 Chronicles 1:15; 2 Chronicles 9:27).

‘This curious tree seems to share the nature of two different species,’ says Calmet, ‘the mulberry and the fig; the former in its leaf, and the latter in its fruit. Its Greek name, συκόμορος (sukomoros)—is plainly descriptive of its character, being composed of συκος (sukos)—a fig tree, and μορος (moros)—a mulberry tree. It is thus described by Norden: “They have in Egypt various kinds of figs; but if there is any difference between them, a particular kind differs still more. I mean that which the sycamore bears, which they name giomez in Arabic.

This sycamore is the height of a beech and bears its fruit in a manner quite different from other trees. It has them on the trunk itself, which shoots out little sprigs in the form of a grapestalk, at the end of which the fruit grows close to one another, closely resembling bunches of grapes. The tree is always green and bears fruit several times in the year, without observing any particular seasons, for I have seen some sycamores that had fruit two months after others. This type of tree is quite common in Egypt.”’ They were not highly valued, though it is probable they were often employed in building.

They are contrasted with cedars here:

1. Because the cedar was a much more rare and precious wood.
2. Because it was a much more smooth and elegant material for building.
3. Because it was more permanent. The grain and texture of the sycamore is remarkably coarse and spongy, and could, therefore, stand in no competition with the cedar for beauty and ornament.

We will change them - We will use replacements.

Cedars - The cedar was a remarkably fine, elegant, and permanent wood for building. It was mainly obtained from Mount Lebanon and was used in temples, palaces, and in the houses of the rich (see the note at Isaiah 2:18).

The sycamore is contrasted with the cedar in 1 Kings 10:27: Cedars he made to be as sycamore trees. The whole passage denotes self-confidence and pride; an unwillingness to submit to the judgments of God, and a self-assurance that they would more than repair all the evils that would be inflicted on them.