translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: ISA

label: NET study note

text: In the Hebrew text ( BHS ) the chapter division comes one verse later than in the English Bible; 9:1 (8:23 HT). Thus 9:2-21 in the English Bible = 9:1-20 in the Hebrew text. Beginning with 10:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.


text: The statement probably alludes to the Assyrian conquest of Israel in ca. 734-733 b.c. , when Tiglath-pileser III annexed much of Israel’s territory and reduced Samaria to a puppet state.


text: These three geographical designations may refer to provinces established by the Assyrians in 734-733 b.c. The “way of the sea” is the province of Dor, along the Mediterranean coast, the “region beyond the Jordan” is the province of Gilead in Transjordan, and “Galilee of the nations” (a title that alludes to how the territory had been overrun by foreigners) is the province of Megiddo located west of the Sea of Galilee. See Y. Aharoni, Land of the Bible , 374.


text: The darkness symbolizes judgment and its effects (see 8:22 ); the light represents deliverance and its effects, brought about by the emergence of a conquering Davidic king (see vv. 3-6 ).


text: The Lord is addressed directly in vv. 3-4 .


text: This alludes to Gideon’s victory over Midian ( Judg 7-8 ), when the Lord delivered Israel from an oppressive foreign invader.


text: The following speech ( 9:8-10:4 ) assumes that God has already sent judgment (see v. 9 ), but it also announces that further judgment is around the corner ( 10:1-4 ). The speech seems to describe a series of past judgments on the northern kingdom which is ready to intensify further in the devastation announced in 10:1-4 . It may have been written prior to the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom in 734-733 b.c. , or sometime between that invasion and the downfall of Samaria in 722 b.c. The structure of the speech displays four panels, each of which ends with the refrain, “Through all this, his anger did not subside; his hand remained outstretched” ( 9:12 b; 17b; 21b; 10:4 b): Panel I: (A) Description of past judgment ( 9:8 ); (B) Description of the people’s attitude toward past judgment ( 9:9-10 ); (C) Description of past judgment ( 9:11-12 a); (D) Refrain ( 9:12 b); Panel II: (A) Description of the people’s attitude toward past judgment ( 9:13 ); (B) Description of past judgment ( 9:14-17 a); (C) Refrain ( 9:17 b); Panel III: (A) Description of past judgment ( 9:18-21 a); (B) Refrain ( 9:21 b); Panel IV: (A) Woe oracle announcing future judgment ( 10:1-4 a); (B) Refrain ( 10:4 b).


text: Though judgment (see v. 8 ) had taken away the prosperity they did have (symbolized by the bricks and sycamore fig trees), they arrogantly expected the future to bring even greater prosperity (symbolized by the chiseled stone and cedars).


text: The metaphor in this line is that of a reed being cut down.


text: Evil was uncontrollable and destructive, and so can be compared to a forest fire.


text: The uncontrollable fire of the people’s wickedness (v. 18 ) is intensified by the fire of the Lord’s judgment (v. 19 ). God allows (or causes) their wickedness to become self-destructive as civil strife and civil war break out in the land.