John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 8

And Jehovah said to me. This prophecy contains nothing new but is a confirmation of the preceding one, in which Isaiah predicted the approaching desolation of the kingdom of Israel and Syria. He had foretold that both countries would be deprived of their kings before the children who would soon afterward be born could distinguish between good and evil, that is, before they were grown up (Isaiah 7:16). But because the wicked are not terrified by any threats, it was therefore necessary for this prediction to be repeated and demonstrated by some outward sign.

First, to arouse the nation more effectively, God commands that this prophecy be made publicly known by writing, so that it may be understood by all. We have previously said that it was the custom of the Prophets, after being instructed to deliver any message to the people, to summarize in a few words the substance of what they had said and to affix it to the gates of the temple, as can be learned from Habakkuk 2:2; for if that passage is compared with the present one, the matter will be sufficiently obvious.

But here something particular is expressed, for God does not merely command him to write the prophecy but demands a great and large roll, so that it may be read from a distance. The smaller the writing, the more obscure it is, and the more difficult it is to read. To the same purpose is what immediately follows, with the pen of a common man, for אנש (enosh) denotes any man of ordinary rank; and the meaning is that even the most ignorant and uneducated persons would be able to read the writing.

Make speed to spoil, hasten to the prey. This concise brevity is more emphatic than if he had delivered a long discourse. For anyone could carry home four words, perceive in them the swiftness of the wrath of God, and be truly and deeply affected by the judgment of God, as if it had been pointed out with a finger.

In short, God determined that he should not waste words, because there was no time for controversy, but that he should represent the matter by an outward sign. Since the Prophets had so frequently, and without any good effect, threatened vengeance, He gave a striking exhibition of it by an example, so that it might make a deeper impression on their minds and be engraved on their memory. As often as these words מהר שלל הש בז (Maher-shalal-hash-baz) were mentioned, they would recall to their memory the destruction of Israel and Syria and would make them more certain of it.

Isaiah having prophesied about the coming of Christ in the previous chapter (Isaiah 7:14), many improperly explain this passage also as relating to the same subject: that, endowed with heavenly power, He came to spoil the prince of this world (John 12:31) and therefore hastened to the prey. This ingenuity is pleasing enough but cannot at all harmonize with the text, for the true and natural understanding of the context shows that in this passage the Prophet presents nothing new but supports what he had previously said.

And I took into me witnesses. The noun עדים (gnedim), and the verb אעיד (agnid), which the Prophet employs, are derived from the same root, and the allusion is elegant, as if we were to say, “I have called-to-witness witnesses.” As this was a matter of great importance, he therefore took to himself witnesses, as is usually done on important occasions.

Faithful witnesses. He calls them faithful, that is, true and worthy of credit; yet one of them was an ungodly and worthless apostate, who, wishing to flatter his king, erected an altar resembling the altar at Damascus and openly defended ungodliness and unlawful modes of worship. Some commentators, I am aware, believe that it was a different person; however, a careful examination of the circumstances will convince anyone that this was the same Urijah of whom the sacred history declares that he was slavishly devoted to the ungodliness and lawless desires of the king (2 Kings 16:11).

As for those who think that it was a different person because Isaiah here calls this man faithful, such an argument carries little weight. For the Prophet did not look at the man, but at the office which he held, and which made him a fit person for bearing testimony. Accordingly, he does not mean that he was a good and excellent man, but that his office gave him such influence that nobody could reject him, and that his testimony was, as they say, free from every objection.

Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. I think that this prophecy was affixed to the gates of the temple, Uriah and Zechariah having been taken to be witnesses. For he does not speak of a vision, but of a command of God, which he actually obeyed, so that these words, like a common proverb, might be repeated by every person.

And I approached to the prophetess. What follows happened to the Prophet, I have no doubt, by a vision, for the purpose of sealing the former prediction. The vision given to Isaiah was that he had a child by his wife, and was enjoined to give him this name.

There would, indeed, be no absurdity in admitting that the Prophet actually had a son by his wife and gave him this name; and I will not eagerly dispute with anyone who is of that opinion. But as it is not probable that this name was given to any man, and as there is no evidence to prove it, I am more disposed to think that this was a vision exhibited to the Prophet to confirm the former prediction.

He calls his wife a prophetess, not in the same sense in which the wives of kings, for the sake of showing them respect, are called queens, but because in this vision she sustained a public character.

Truly before the child have knowledge to cry. This is an interpretation both of the obscure saying and of the vision that was added to it; for although God did not intend to speak in direct language, it was still proper that obscurity should be removed. I interpret הנער, (hannagnar), the child, to mean not the Prophet’s son, but rather all who would be born soon afterwards. He declares that, before they are grown up, the two kings of Israel and Samaria will be destroyed.

Before the face of the king of Assyria. This means at the disposal, or at the will, of the king of Assyria, perhaps alluding to an ancient custom of carrying the spoils of enemies before the chariot of those who received a public triumph. In the same way, the spoils of Samaria and Damascus will be carried before the king of Assyria.

This makes it even more evident that the Prophet intended nothing other than to foretell the desolation of the kingdom of Israel and of Syria. He does this to comfort the godly and also to hold up to scorn the foolish dread of the wicked king, who could not endure that the Lord should assist him; for he rejected not only the promises but also the sign that was offered.

In consequence of this, the Prophet goes further and further in reproving his wickedness and that of the whole nation. He says, in effect: “You do, indeed, believe nothing, but the Lord will assist his own; and you will quickly see sudden and unexpected changes, by which the Lord will deliver his people.”

Yet these words were spoken not so much to the king as to godly men. From this, we should infer that the servants of God do not always speak so as to be believed by their hearers, for Isaiah here addresses wicked men, in whom he produces no conviction.

Why, then, does he speak to them? To convict them more and more of their unbelief and to reprove them for it; and next, to make the goodness of God more manifest: for who would not have thought that such aggravated wickedness would entirely shut the door against the mercy of God?

And yet the Lord, by His goodness, rises superior to the wickedness of both the king and the people. The Prophet’s object, therefore, is to reprove the ungodly for their rebelliousness and, at the same time, to show that God is always like himself.

Because this people has despised (or, disdained) the waters of Shiloah. So that Ahaz may not slumber in unfounded expectation, the Prophet suddenly breaks off his discussion concerning the general safety of the godly and then threatens punishment on unbelievers. Some think that he speaks against those who wished for revolutions, as it frequently happens that the multitude are not satisfied with their present condition and desire to have a new king. Those who are diseased often expect that by a change of place, they will be in better health. So perverse is the will of men that when matters do not go according to their desire, they look for a change in their condition, snatch at it eagerly, and hope to obtain some relief from it.

But I think that the Prophet’s meaning is more extensive and does not apply only to those who wished for a change; rather, his message is general and includes all ranks. For impiety and contempt of God almost universally prevailed, and he does not speak of a few persons or of a particular party, but of the main body of the nation.

I confess, indeed, that he excepts a few persons, servants of God, who will be mentioned later. However, this does not prevent Isaiah’s remonstrances from being directed against the whole nation, for since almost all were corrupted, he justly reproves them all.

The offense is that the people, distrusting their own weakness, sought increased wealth and increased forces. He says, therefore, that they despised the waters of Shiloah, because the Jews despised and disdained their condition.

And their joy was to Rezin and Remaliah’s son. Some translate it as 'with Rezin,' but the preposition 'to' more fully expresses the perverse desire. He means that the Jews, perceiving that they did not have strong fortresses, looked in another direction and longed for the wealth of the kingdom of Israel. Seeing their small number and their poverty, they trembled and placed no confidence in God, relying only on outward assistance. They thought that they would be perfectly safe if they had a king as powerful as the Israelites had. Thus they rejoiced in the riches of others and in longing for them.