The Strand Study Bible

ISAIAH 17:3

ISAIAH 17:14

1068

The promise of Israel’s fall to Assyria (Fulfilled - II Ki 17:6 & 18:10,11 - 721 BC)

The promise of Assyria’s fall to Babylon (Fulfilled - 612 BC)

1. Fulfilled - II Ki 17:6 & 18:10-11 (Fall of Israel) 2. Fulfilled - II Ki 16:9 (Fall of Syria) (See - Isa 8:4 & Amos 1:3-5) 3. Isa 47:4 & Hos 11:9 & Jn 17:11 Psa 16:10 & Acts 2:27 & 13:35 & Mk 1:24 Isa 63:10-11 & Psa 51:11 & Eph 1:13 4. I Cor 10:4 & Mt 21:42-44 & Psa 118:22 & Isa 28:16 5. Fulfilled - 612 BC (Fall of Assyria)

3 1 The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, 2 and the kingdom from Damas- cus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORDOF HOSTS . PP 4 1 And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. P 5 1 And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim. P 6 1 Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. P 7 1 At that day shall a man look to his Ma- ker, and his eyes shall have respect to the HOLY 3 O N E of Israel. P 8 1 And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images. P 9 1 In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation. P 10 Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mind- ful of the 4 rock of thy strength, 1 therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: P 11 1 In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. P

12 5 Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! P 13 5 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. P 14 5 And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us. P

• Damascus

MED SEA

Eglaim •

• Nimrim

• Elealeh • Heshbon

Valley of Rephaim •

Jahaz •

• Medeba • Dimon • Aroer • Ar •

Beerelim •

Zoar Sodom Gomorrah

MOAB

Kir-hareseth

Different places mentioned in Isaiah 15-17 Map #227 READ NEXT - II Kings 15:29

17:3 a This chapter, though it be entitled “ The promise of Syria’s fall to Assyria ”, should also read “ and the doom of Israel too ” ( The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim ) for Syria and Israel had partnered up against Judah and Jerusalem for not joining them in their quest to defeat Assyria (Isa 7:1-2). Israel should have known better than to fight against her sister Judah (I Ki 12:19-24). No one gets away with fighting against God’s people ( Isa 10:12 -19,24-27, Hab 2: 6- 8 and Obad 1,9-15), not even God’s people. Thus, the destruction of both Damascus (the capital of Syria) and Ephraim (another name for Israel) is here foretold. Even the strong cities ( fortresses ) within Israel, which should have protected the country, shall not be able to protect themselves. 17:3 b When God gets done with Syria, those that remain ( they ) shall be as few as those in Judah (vs 4-6). Sinful confederacies against God (Lk 23:6-12) and/or His people are no match for God’s wrath in the end (Acts 12:1-3,20-23). For in the end, God wins. 17:7 There is mercy in the midst of judgment for those who “ look to their Maker ,” and not to their “makings” (the work of their hands - vs 8). It’s not what we do for God, but what God does through us that ultimately matters. It’s called “motive” ( why we do what we do for God – Rev 2:4 , Mt 20:1 , I Cor 3:13 b and II Cor 5:14 ), and it’s what moves the hand of mercy in our direction. 17:12 The Assyrian army was made up out of many different nations. Again, sinful confederacies that try to hush God and hold back His people will face wreck and ruin in the end (vs 13-14).