Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

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THE PROPHET ISAIAH

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
MESSAGE AGAINST DAMASCUS

Isaiah 17:1-3 – Against Damascus

IS17:1 The weighty message against Damascus 687 – Y^eH^oW^aH of [angelic] armies reveals: “Behold, Damascus will be removed 688 as a city! It will become a pile of wreckage. 689
687 Damascus: The capitol of Syria northeast of Israel is still a thriving city filled with people who still hate Israel. It is mentioned 7 times in Isaiah [7:8; 8:4; 10:9; 17:1, 3] and most often in 2 Kings. After that it is mentioned most often in Acts as the city near where Paul had his vision of Christ.
688 Removed: Or, cease.
689 Pile of wreckage: Or, heap of ruins. [2 Kings 16:9]
IS17:2 Abandoned 690 are the desolate towns. 691 These will serve for flocks to lie down 692 with no one causing them to fear.
690 Abandoned: Or, forsaken, deserted.
691 Desolate towns: Some use Aroer, a word meaning “ruins.”
692 Flocks to lie down: That is, the former city is so desolate and without inhabitant that flocks feel safe lying down among the ruins.
IS17:3 It is then fortresses will cease 693 in Ephraim. 694 The kingdom of Damascus, and the survivors of Syria, will become like the glory of the children of Israel.” 695
693 Fortresses will cease: That is, no safe places to flee in northern Israel as before.
694 Ephraim: That is, the ten-tribe northern kingdom of Israel.
695 Become like the glory of the children of Israel: Or, LXX: no better than the children of Israel, even than their glory; JPS: the masses of Israelites. Some us Aram meaning “exalted” a synonym for Syria. Aram was the 5^th son of Shem. “Ara” is one of the oldest names for earth and the region around Mount Ararat where the Ark came to rest. It is likely the root for such words as Aryan, Arab, arable.

Isaiah 17:4-6 – A Famine for Jacob

IS17:4 Y^eH^oW^aH of [angelic] armies, the God of Israel, reveals: “It will occur in that day that the glory of Jacob will dwindle, 696 his fat flesh dissipated. 697
696 Glory of Jacob will dwindle: Or, diminish, become lowly, failure. “Jacob” as another name for “Israel” referring to the ten-tribe northern kingdom.
697 His fat flesh dissipated: That is, once well-off Israel will face famine. Or, LXX: riches of his glory will be shaken; RHM: wasted; JPS: become lean. Review Isaiah 10:16. [Deuteronomy 32:15]
IS17:5 It will occur that just as the farmer gathers standing heads of wheat – just as his hand reaps kernels of wheat – Yes! It will occur – just so it will be the person who gleans grains of wheat in the valley of Rephaim. 698
698 Rephaim: The word/name in Hebrew is also used for the dead. It is possible the name comes from the tall people who lived there. The name occurs about two dozen times in the Bible, the first at Genesis 14:5 and the last here.
IS17:6 Yet there will remain 699 there a gleaning just like the beating of an olive tree – two or three olives atop the tree, four or five from her fruitful branches.”
699 There will remain: The whole analogy either suggests the coming famine, or illustrates the size of the surviving remnant.

Isaiah 17:7-11 – Humans Look to God

IS17:7 In that day humanity will look to its Maker, 700 and eyes will turn to the Holy One Israel. 701
700 Humanity will look to its Maker: Or, KJV: shall a man look to his Maker; NJB: his Creator; JPS: turn to; RHM: the son of earth look to him that made him; LXX: trust in him. The Hebrew is ‘ASAH [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #6213] The title for God occurs most often in the poetic books. [Job 4:17; 32:22; 35:10; 40:19; Psalm 95:6; 115:15; 121:2; 124:8; 134:3; 146:6; 149:2] Isaiah uses it first beginning here. [Isaiah 27:11; 44:2; 45:18; 51:13; 54:5] The is a rare possibility in Hebrews 11:10.
701 Eyes will turn to the Holy One Israel: Or, LXX: his eye will have respect.
IS17:8 They will not look to altars as the work of their own hands, nor will their eyes turn to what their own fingers made – neither the Asherim 702 or Sun-Pillars. 703
702 Asherim: Or, KJV: groves; NJB: sacred poles; JPS: sacred posts; RHM: Sacred Stems; LXX: trees. In Baalism she was Ashtoreth, in Babylon Astarte, and in Rome Diana or Venus. The Law condemned such worship of trees. [Deuteronomy 16:21] The Druids of England were worshippers of the Oak [dru]. Their worship involved religious orgies. [2 Chronicles 34:4]
703 Sun-Pillars: Or, LXX: abominations; JPS: incense stands; NJB: incense-altars; KJV: images. The Hebrew is CHAMMAN [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #2553] and there is a temptation to see in it shamman a tribal witch-doctor.
IS17:9 In that day his fortresses will become just like a neglected limb and a high branch – something neglected of the children of Israel – just so will be there annihilation. IS17:10 All because you forgot the God of your salvation, 704 and you did not remember the Rock of refuge. 705 So even though you plant a desirable plantation, 706 it will become a strange slip. 707
704 You forgot the God of your salvation: Or, JPS: God who saves you; LXX: forsaken. It is a rare phrase used also by David. [Psalm 24:5; 25:5; 27:9] Compare similar phrases at 1 Chronicles 16:35; Psalm 65:5; 79:9; Habakkuk 3:18.
705 You did not remember the Rock of refuge: Or, LXX: not been mindful of the Lord thy helper; JPS: Rock who shelters you; NJB: failed to keep… in mind. Note Isaiah 26:4. [Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Samuel 22:32]
706 Plant a desirable plantation: Or, KJV: in that day shalt thou make thy plant to grow; NJB: plant pleasure-gardens [footnote: Adonis-gardens]; JPS: that is why, though you plant a delightful sapling; RHM: plant very pleasant plants; LXX: you plant a false [faithless] plant.
707 A strange slip: Or, LXX: a false seed; RHM: slip of a stranger; JPS: what you sow proves a disappointing slip; NJB: exotic seeds. Possibly “strange [god].”
IS17:11 In the very day you put a fence around it – and in the morning cause your slip to blossom – the produce will whither 708 in the day of sickening grief and incurable disease. 709
708 Produce will whither: Or, JPS: the branches wither away; NJB: harvest will vanish. That is, efforts at farming are futile; or, fostering children comes to naught.
709 Sickening grief and incurable disease: Or, KJV: grief and desperate sorrow; NJB: day of disease and incurable pain; JPS: day of sickness and mortal agony; RHM: day of destiny and mortal pain;. Compare the Mosaic curse at Deuteronomy 28:30. [Jeremiah 12:13; Hosea 8:7; Zephaniah 1:13]

Isaiah 17:12-14 – The Coming Storm

IS17:12 Woe! the crashing roar of a multitude, 710 like the roaring of storm surf, 711 like the raging of nations! 712 They will rush like the loud rushing of a great cascade. 713
710 Crashing roar of a multitude: Or, LXX: multitude of many nations; RHM: booming of many peoples; JPS: Ah, the roar of many peoples; NJB: Disaster! The thunder of vast hordes. Possibly the Assyrian forces under Sennacherib.
711 Roaring of storm surf: Or, KJV: noise of the seas; NJB: a thunder like the thunder of the seas; JPS: roar as roars the sea; RHM: like the booming of the seas shall they boom; LXX: as the swelling sea.
712 Raging of nations: Or, LXX: the force of many nations; RHM: rushing of nations; NJB: roar of nations.
713 Loud rushing of a great cascade: Or, KJV: mighty waters; NJB: mighty floods; JPS: massive waters. Those who have experienced great water falls or violent cascades through canyon walls know this sound.
IS17:13 Though the nations storm like the rush of great waters even so One will rebuke it. 714 Then he will flee far away. He will be chased like mountain chaff before the wind, and like whirling husks before a storm-wind.
714 One will rebuke it: Or, RHM: one rebuke him; JPS: He shouts at them. That is, God is the only One who can turn such national waters back. [Psalm 9:5; Isaiah 33:3] Remember the “rebuke” of the storm by Christ.
IS17:14 In the evening – horror! 715 Before dawn – gone! 716 This is what will befall those who plundered us, 717 and the lot of those who made us their prey.
715 Evening – horror: Or, KJV: at eveningtide trouble; NJB: at evening all is terror; LXX: toward evening there shall be grief.
716 Before dawn – gone: Or, LXX: before the morning, and he shall not be; RHM: he is not; JPS: it no more; NJB: by morning all have disappeared. [2 Kings 19:35]
717 This is what will befall those who plundered us: Or, NJB: such will be the lot of those who plundered us; JPS: the lot of our despoilers; RHM: make us a prey; LXX: the inheritance to them that robbed you of your inheritance. [Proverbs 22:23; Isaiah 33:1; Ezekiel 39:10; Zephaniah 2:9]

Mark Heber Miller