If you don’t remember how this conversation was going previously…
18 In that day the Lord will whistle for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. 19 They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the water holes. 20 In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River—the king of Assyria—to shave your head and private parts,
This is the very same guy that Ahaz thought he was getting help from. Shaving a king’s head and man handling his own privates and beard would be extremely shameful. Just consequences for the mess he had gotten himself into by not paying attention.
and to cut off your beard also. 21 In that day, a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats. 22 And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat.
At least that part is ok for regular people, but things were not going to be good for Ahaz.
All who remain in the land will eat curds and honey. 23 In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be only briers and thorns.
The food situation is going to change for everyone.
24 Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns. 25 As for all the hills once cultivated by the hoe,
It’s a gardening tool, you sickos. Those folks only had one job.
you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.
Sheep and cows on the run would be really scary. Here’s more from another place, because I have not been very helpful in this section.
a. The LORD will bring the king of Assyria upon you: This was bad news to Ahaz, who had been foolishly trusting in Assyria instead of the LORD. It is as if the LORD is saying, “It will seem to you like trusting in Assyria is a clever move, because the armies of Syria and Israel will be defeated. But the Assyrians will end up defeating you also.”
i. “Thou mightest have remained at home and at ease, and mightest have received the assistance of God; but thou choosest rather to call in the Assyrians. Thou shalt find them to be worse than thine own enemies.” (Calvin)
ii. If Ahaz understood and believed what the LORD said, it would have terrified him. The Assyrians were well known for their sheer cruelty, especially over the nations they conquered. They delighted in torture and humiliation (shave with a hired razor…the head and the hair of the legs).
iii. “To shave off the beard of an Oriental was an unbearable shame to him and was a sign of great sadness and mourning as well as despicable slavery.” (Bultema) We see this principle illustrated by the actions of David in 2 Samuel 10:4-5.
b. The LORD will whistle for the fly that is in the farthest part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. They will come: Judah would not only be attacked by the Assyrians, they would also be invaded by the Egyptians. God would pinch Judah between these mighty nations to the north and south.
i. These invasions would bring Judah low, so that they could not farm as normally, and thus curds and honey everyone will eat who is left in the land. Normal agriculture would be devastated (wherever there could be a thousand vines…it will be for briars and thorns). Former farms will be suitable only for grazing (it will become a range for oxen and a place for sheep to roam).
More where that came from here.
Scripture Discussed: Isaiah 7:18-25
IIWAC: Isaiah Warns Ahaz
If you don’t remember how this conversation was going previously…
18 In that day the Lord will whistle for flies from the Nile delta in Egypt and for bees from the land of Assyria. 19 They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices in the rocks, on all the thornbushes and at all the water holes. 20 In that day the Lord will use a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River—the king of Assyria—to shave your head and private parts,
This is the very same guy that Ahaz thought he was getting help from. Shaving a king’s head and man handling his own privates and beard would be extremely shameful. Just consequences for the mess he had gotten himself into by not paying attention.
and to cut off your beard also. 21 In that day, a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats. 22 And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat.
At least that part is ok for regular people, but things were not going to be good for Ahaz.
All who remain in the land will eat curds and honey. 23 In that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels,[g] there will be only briers and thorns.
The food situation is going to change for everyone.
24 Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers and thorns. 25 As for all the hills once cultivated by the hoe,
It’s a gardening tool, you sickos. Those folks only had one job.
you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.
Sheep and cows on the run would be really scary. Here’s more from another place, because I have not been very helpful in this section.
a. The LORD will bring the king of Assyria upon you: This was bad news to Ahaz, who had been foolishly trusting in Assyria instead of the LORD. It is as if the LORD is saying, “It will seem to you like trusting in Assyria is a clever move, because the armies of Syria and Israel will be defeated. But the Assyrians will end up defeating you also.”
i. “Thou mightest have remained at home and at ease, and mightest have received the assistance of God; but thou choosest rather to call in the Assyrians. Thou shalt find them to be worse than thine own enemies.” (Calvin)
ii. If Ahaz understood and believed what the LORD said, it would have terrified him. The Assyrians were well known for their sheer cruelty, especially over the nations they conquered. They delighted in torture and humiliation (shave with a hired razor…the head and the hair of the legs).
iii. “To shave off the beard of an Oriental was an unbearable shame to him and was a sign of great sadness and mourning as well as despicable slavery.” (Bultema) We see this principle illustrated by the actions of David in 2 Samuel 10:4-5.
b. The LORD will whistle for the fly that is in the farthest part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. They will come: Judah would not only be attacked by the Assyrians, they would also be invaded by the Egyptians. God would pinch Judah between these mighty nations to the north and south.
i. These invasions would bring Judah low, so that they could not farm as normally, and thus curds and honey everyone will eat who is left in the land. Normal agriculture would be devastated (wherever there could be a thousand vines…it will be for briars and thorns). Former farms will be suitable only for grazing (it will become a range for oxen and a place for sheep to roam).
More where that came from here.
Scripture Discussed: Isaiah 7:18-25