Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Bind up . . . seal—What Isaiah had before briefly noted by inscribing Maher-shalal-hash-baz in a tablet, fixed up in some public place, he afterwards wrote out more in detail in a parchment roll (Isaiah 30:8); this he is now to seal up, not merely in order that nothing may be added to, or taken from it, as being complete, but to imply that it relates to distant events, and is therefore to be a sealed and not understood testimony (Isaiah 6:9-10), except in part among God's "disciples," that is, those who "sanctify the Lord" by obedient trust (Psalms 25:14). Subsequent revelations would afterwards clear up what now was dark. So the Apocalypse explains what in Daniel was left unexplained (compare Daniel 8:26; Daniel 12:9). "The words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end"; but Revelation 22:10, "Seal not the sayings of the prophecy . . . for the time is at hand" (compare Revelation 5:1, Revelation 5:5, Revelation 5:9),
testimony—attested by Uriah and Zechariah (Isaiah 8:2).
law—the revelation just given, having the force of a law.
disciples—not as MAURER, Uriah and Zechariah (compare John 7:17; John 15:15).
The words of Jehovah.
confederacy—rather, a conspiracy; an appropriate term for the unnatural combination of Israel with Syrian foreigners against Judea and the theocracy, to which the former was bound by ties of blood and hereditary religion [MAURER].
to all . . . say—rather, of all which this people calleth a conspiracy [G. V. SMITH].
their fear—namely, object of fear: the hostile conspiracy.
be afraid—rather [MAURER], "nor make others to be afraid."
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Isaiah 8:16:
Isaiah 8:20
Isaiah 29:11
Isaiah 30:8
Isaiah 34:16
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.
