ISAIAH 17-19

Chapter 17 This is a fairly early oracle when Israel and Damascas (Syria) were allied against Assyria. The Assyrian Empire will swallow both of them up. The irony is that Israel herself is here classed among the “Nations.” The fulfillment took place during the Syro-Ephraimite War in 734-732 BC.

vv. 3-4 There is a word play on the word kabod, weight or glory (Weight will diminish = an image of a sick man wasting away).

v. 6 Long poles were used to knock down the fruit.

v. 8 Lopped-off tree trunks or monoliths were dedicated to Asherah.

v. 9 These were cultures wiped out by the Jews during the conquest of Canaan.

vv. 10-11 judgment on vegetation gods such as Tammuz (Adonis). These verses describe a pagan fertility rite.

v. 10b Pagan practice of putting potted flowers in front of altar which would rapidly dry up, representing life and death vegetation cycle.

v. 11 starts with “even if.” Perhaps a picture of farmers planting exotic crops not suited to the land.

vv. 12-14 describes an attempted attack against Judah that God prevents – perhaps a reference to the sudden withdrawal of Assyrian army from Jerusalem in 701, due to supposed plague.

Chapter 18 against Nubia/Cush (territory of today's Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia) may refer to attempts of alliance between Judah and Ethiopia or Egypt. The prophecy was fulfilled when Egyptian-Ethiopian forces were defeated by Sennacherib in 701 BC.

v. 1 Cush was infested with insects. Alternatively, the Septuagint took this to be a reference to sail boats that moved on the rivers like insects – fits with verse 2. Others think it referred to the troops of Cush.

v. 2 It is interesting that the people's height and lack of body hair, not their color, was remarked on.

v. 2b Obscure in Hebrew. River may be the Nile.

vv. 3-4 Like the still small voice speaking to Elijah.

v. 7 Like the Queen of Sheba bringing gifts to Solomon. Either a future reference to last days or reflecting the fact that many nations brought gifts to Judah after her defeat of Sennacherib. Amos also mentions Cush in a favorable light as being of concern to God. This verse repeats verse 2 almost word for word except that the direction of movement is reversed.

Chapter 19 against Egypt

vv. 1-4 Egypt is broken in five ways by losing her beliefs/morale (verse 1), unity (2), worldly wisdom (3), her freedom (4), and her physical resources (5ff).

v. 2 Northern and Southern Kingdom of Egypt fought against one another.

v. 3 Like the situation of King Saul later on.

v. 4 may refer to the first Nubian pharaoh, Piankhi.

vv. 5-10 Ecological disasters are often coupled with military defeats in the prophecies.

vv. 11-13 Sarcasm directed toward the Egyptians' reputation for wisdom.

v. 14 Brings up a question in the minds of some regarding God doing “evil” against people by purposely misleading them. Like the Tower of Babel episode.

vv. 16-25 Start of five “on that day” sayings in prose. Gentile incorporation by steps of fear (16-17), submission (18), access to God (19ff), fellowship (23) and full acceptance (24-25). Felt by some liberal scholars to be a more mature understanding of the Jews' relation to pagan nations and a rejection of the false notion of a Holy War. However, this passage has an eschatological setting. Some have called these verses “the crown of Old Testament theology.”

vv. 16-17 There were several possible times in history when this was possible, but which one is not certain.

v.18 Exactly five cities in which Jews settled by the Hellenistic Period, listed in Jeremiah 2:16, 43:7 and 44:1.

v. 18b City of the sun (hacheres) = Heliopolis (as in LXX and Q). However, there is a triple pun or meaning here. It is a city devoted to the sun god. Hebrew reads literally City of Destruction (hahares), meaning that it is pagan and thus devoted to destroy true beliefs, but also it is devoted to destruction by God. Like the use of the word Beelzebub (lord of the flies) in place of Baalzebul.

v. 19. Jewish temple was built in Egypt in 170-140 AD by the high priest Onias IV after he was kicked out of his post in Jerusalem. He quoted this verse as justification for his acts.

v. 9b Such pillars were banned in Deuteronomy. May indicate diasporan Jews had heterodox beliefs.

v. 22 Strong lesson that God needs to break us down so that we can be healed.

v. 23 seems to refer to open communication and common worship between Jews living in Diaspora.

vv. 24-25 Amazingly universalistic in outlook. Titles only applied to the Jews are now equally applied to their enemies. The Targum drastically amended these verses.