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Isaiah 9:14
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14
So the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day—
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Isaiah 9:14 Meaning and Commentary
Isaiah 9:14
The Septuagint render it, "great and small"; and so the Arabic version; the first word intending the great men of the nation, in flourishing circumstances, like branches of trees; the latter the common, people, like reeds and rushes, weak and feeble; so Kimchi explains them,
Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail,
&c.] The former of these is afterwards interpreted of "the ancient and honourable", men in high places, civil magistrates, judges, governors, and elders of the people, the king as supreme, and all subordinate officers; and so the Targum,
``the Lord will destroy from Israel the prince and the ruler;''and the latter is interpreted of the false prophet. The people of Israel are compared to a beast with a tail, being so sadly degenerated and corrupted; as the Romish antichrist, in both his capacities, civil and ecclesiastical, is compared to a beast; the one being the head, and the other the tail, ( Revelation 13:1 Revelation 13:2 Revelation 13:11 ) and Rome Pagan to a dragon with a tail, ( Revelation 12:3 Revelation 12:4 ) and the Saracens and Turks to locusts with tails like the tails of scorpions, ( Revelation 9:10 Revelation 9:19 ) : branch and rush, in one day.
The Septuagint render it, "great and small"; and so the Arabic version; the first word intending the great men of the nation, in flourishing circumstances, like branches of trees; the latter the common, people, like reeds and rushes, weak and feeble; so Kimchi explains them,
``the strong and the weak;''though the Targum interprets both of the governor and lord; and so Jarchi says they signify kings and governors; but Aben Ezra renders the word root and branch; and so they may denote the utter destruction of the people of Israel, fathers and children, high and low, rich and poor. See ( Malachi 4:1 ) .
Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
Isaiah 9:14 In-Context
12
the Arameans on the east and the Philistines on the west, and they devoured Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger has not turned away; his hand is stretched out still.
13
The people did not turn to him who struck them, or seek the Lord of hosts.
14
So the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day—
15
elders and dignitaries are the head, and prophets who teach lies are the tail;
16
for those who led this people led them astray, and those who were led by them were left in confusion.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.