9 Be friends, O nations, and be broken, And give ear, all ye far off ones of earth, Gird yourselves, and be broken, Gird yourselves, and be broken. 10 Take counsel, and it is broken, Speak a word, and it doth not stand, Because of Emmanu-El!' 11 For thus hath Jehovah spoken unto me with strength of hand, and instructeth me against walking in the way of this people, saying, 12 'Ye do not say, A confederacy, To all to whom this people saith, A confederacy, And its fear ye do not fear, Nor declare fearful. 13 Jehovah of Hosts—Him ye do sanctify, And He 'is' your Fear, and He your Dread, 14 And He hath been for a sanctuary, And for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of falling, To the two houses of Israel, For a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many among them have stumbled and fallen, And been broken, and snared, and captured.
16 Bind up the testimony, Seal the law among My disciples.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 8:9-16
Commentary on Isaiah 8:9-16
(Read Isaiah 8:9-16)
The prophet challenges the enemies of the Jews. Their efforts would be vain, and themselves broken to pieces. It concerns us, in time of trouble, to watch against all such fears as put us upon crooked courses for our own security. The believing fear of God preserves against the disquieting fear of man. If we thought rightly of the greatness and glory of God, we should see all the power of our enemies restrained. The Lord, who will be a Sanctuary to those who trust in him, will be a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence, to those who make the creature their fear and their hope. If the things of God be an offence to us, they will undo us. The apostle quotes this as to all who persisted in unbelief of the gospel of Christ, 1 Peter 2:8. The crucified Emmanuel, who was and is a Stumbling-stone and Rock of offence to unbelieving Jews, is no less so to thousands who are called Christians. The preaching of the cross is foolishness in their esteem; his doctrines and precepts offend them.