Thomas Aquinas Commentary Isaiah 7:1-9

"And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it. And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart trembled, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the forest tremble with the wind. Then said Jehovah unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of the fuller`s field; and say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither let thy heart be faint, because of these two tails of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have purposed evil against thee, saying, Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set up a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeel; thus saith the Lord Jehovah, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken in pieces, so that is shall not be a people: and the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah`s son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established." — Isaiah 7:1-9 (ASV)

1. And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham. Here, the threat against the enemies of the two tribes is presented. It is divided into two parts:

   • First, the threat against the persecutors of the people is presented.
   • Second, the threat against those who are contemptuous of the prophecies of the prophets: woe to the crown of pride (chapter 28).

   The first of these is divided into two parts:

   • First, he threatens the overthrow of the enemies.
   • Second, he presents the joyful thanksgiving: O Lord, you are my God (chapter 25).

   The first of these is divided into two parts:

   • First, the overthrow of each enemy individually.
   • Second, the overthrow of all of them collectively: behold the Lord shall lay waste the earth (chapter 24).

   The first of these is divided into three parts:

   • First, against enemies who persecute them bodily.
   • Second, against enemies who supply power: the burden of Damascus (chapter 17).
   • Third, against enemies who oppress them in their possessions: the burden of the desert of the sea (chapter 21).

   The first of these is divided into two parts:

   • First, against persecutors from the same nation.
   • Second, against foreign persecutors: woe to them that make wicked laws (chapter 10).

   The first of these is divided into two parts:

   • First, he threatens the frustration of the wicked through the deliverance of the two tribes.
   • Second, he threatens their destruction: and the Lord said to me (chapter 8).

   The first part, which is contained in this chapter, is divided into three sections:

   • First, the imminent danger is described.
   • Second, the benefit of deliverance is promised: and the Lord said to Isaiah (Isaiah 7:3).
   • Third, the sign of deliverance is given, where it says, and the Lord spoke again to Ahaz (Isaiah 7:10).

2. To understand the first part, it should be known that Ahaz was wicked and an idolater, as we read in 2 Kings 16:2–4 and 2 Chronicles 27. Therefore, the Lord delivered him into the hands of the kings of Syria and Samaria. They first came against him and, after besieging and finally conquering Jerusalem, captured most of his army and its commander.

   Confident because of that victory, they came again to take his kingdom away from him entirely and substitute another king in his place. It was during this second invasion that Isaiah comforted him.

3. Therefore, three things are presented in the first part.

   First, the gathering of the enemies is described. Thus, he says: and it came to pass in the days of Ahaz. He traces the genealogy back to Uzziah, perhaps because it was when Uzziah was struck with leprosy by the Lord (2 Chronicles 26:19–23)—even though he had once been righteous—that the enemies gained the boldness to invade, as if they disdained divine help.

   Came up is said because of the position of the land, for Judah is in the mountains. Pekah was the one who killed Pekahiah king of Israel, whose army commander he was, and then reigned in his place (2 Kings 15:25). But they could not prevail over it refers to the first time, although they did conquer the king on the battlefield. Alternatively, this is said in anticipation, regarding the second time they came up.

4. Second, he presents the announcement of this event: and they—that is, his scouts—told the house of David, meaning the royal house, saying: Syria has rested upon Ephraim.

   This means the king of Syria has allied with the king of the ten tribes. These tribes are called Ephraim, either because their first king was from the tribe of Ephraim (1 Kings 13; see 1 Kings 12:20) or as a place of honor. They were joined in friendship, although they were formerly enemies, as is read in 1 Kings 22 (see 1 Kings 15:37 and 16:5–7). He says, Syria has rested upon Ephraim, to note that the kingdom of Syria held the primary position in the alliance because it was stronger.

5. Third, the effect of this announcement is described, namely, the distress of the king and his people: and his—that is, the king’s—heart was moved, and the heart of his people. So also, a fearful heart in the thoughts of a fool ; and dread to those who do evil (Proverbs 21:15); and when King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him (Matthew 2:3).

6. And the Lord said to Isaiah. Here, deliverance is promised.

   • First, the manner of the promise is presented.
   • Second, the promise itself: and you shall say to him (Isaiah 7:4).

   The manner is presented in three ways:

   • First, regarding the person announcing it: The Lord said to Isaiah, inspiring him inwardly or speaking through a created being. Go forth to meet Ahaz, who, perhaps out of fear of the enemy, had gone to prepare his defenses.
   • Second, regarding the witness: and Shear-jashub your son who is left with you. His other brother, namely, Rabsaces, who was born of a more noble mother, had fled to the king of the Assyrians because he was not well received by Ahaz (about whom, see below, Isaiah 36:2). This was so that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand (Deuteronomy 19:15).
   • Third, regarding the place: to the end of the aqueduct. To understand this, it should be known that because Jerusalem is in the mountains, it does not have an abundance of flowing water. Therefore, they had water in pools, collected either from rain or from distant springs via aqueducts. Now there were three pools in Jerusalem: one for the use of the priests and sacrifices, which was called the Probatica Pool, about which see John 5:2; the second was lower in the city and was kept clean for the general use of the city; the third was outside the city and had unclean water, where fullers would wash wool and for other such uses. The entire fuller’s field is named after that pool. This clarifies what is said in the text.

7. And you shall say to him. Here the prophet presents the promise.

   • First, he offers encouragement.
   • Second, he gives the reason for this encouragement: of the two tails of these firebrands.
   • Third, he declares the condemnation of the unbelieving, where it says, if you will not believe, you shall not continue (Isaiah 7:9).

   He encourages them by forbidding any sign of fear: see that you are quiet. That is, be careful not to outwardly show the fear in your heart. As it says later, in silence and in hope shall your strength be (Isaiah 30:15), and in another place, and the work of justice shall be peace, and the service of justice quietness, and security for ever (Isaiah 32:17).

   He also shows the way to remove fear: fear not the coming evils, and let not your heart be afraid because of the memory of the evils you have already suffered. As it says later, fear not, for I am with you: I will bring your seed from the east, and gather you from the west (Isaiah 43:5).

8. Of the two tails. Here he presents the reason for this encouragement.

   First, he shows the futility of those making the proposal, who plan great things even though they can accomplish little or nothing. They are called the two tails because the kingdom ended with them. For Rezin was killed by Tiglath-pileser, who led his people into captivity (2 Kings 16:9). But Pekah was subjugated and afterward killed by an enemy; a little later, the ten tribes were taken captive by Shalmaneser (2 Kings 17:3–6). They are described as smoking, for they were then near to being extinguished.

   Their plan was to rouse it up, as one would rouse someone from sleep, and draw it away—that is, let us bring it under our power. The son of Tabeel refers literally to a certain man, or perhaps an idol of their god. Tabeel means “God is good.”

9. Second, regarding the foiling of their plan: thus says the Lord, who can do all things, this shall not be, because it will not be carried out, and it shall not stand, because they will not persist long in such a plan, as greater evils will rush in on them. As it says later, take counsel together, and it shall be defeated: speak a word, and it shall not be done: because God is with us (Isaiah 8:10).

10. Third, regarding the destruction of the enemies. First, concerning the Syrians: but the head of Syria. This is as if to say: in the meantime, and before they are destroyed, the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. This means the Damascenes and their king will be contained within their own borders.

    And within sixty-five years, Ephraim shall cease to be a people, because they will be taken captive. These years should not be calculated from the time of this prophecy, but from the time when Uzziah was struck with leprosy, because it was then that they gained the boldness to invade. This was in the twenty-sixth year of his reign. From that time, his son Jotham reigned for twenty-seven years while his father was still alive and for sixteen years afterward; then Ahaz reigned for sixteen years, and then Hezekiah, in the sixth year of whose reign the people were taken captive (2 Kings 17:5). And these years, taken together, are sixty-five. And the head of Ephraim is to be understood as stated above.

11. If you will not believe. Here he sets forth the condemnation of the unbelieving. If you will not believe—that is, in the promises of the Lord—you too shall not continue in your land but will be taken captive. As it is written, behold, he that is unbelieving, his soul shall not be right in himself (Habakkuk 2:4).

    He says this because Ahaz, not believing the prophecy, called on the king of the Assyrians, Tiglath-pileser, for support so that he would help him. Tiglath-pileser came at his request and destroyed Damascus and killed its king. Yet even though Ahaz had given him tribute, it still did not benefit him, as is said in 2 Chronicles 28:21.