9:1 Nevertheless a the dimness [shall] not [be] such as [was]
in her distress, b when at the first he lightly afflicted
the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward
did more grievously afflict [her by] the way of the sea,
beyond Jordan, in Galilee of c the nations.
(a) He comforts the Church again after these great
threatenings promising to restore them to great glory in
Messiah.
(b) With which Israel was punished, first by
Tiglath-pilesar, which was a light scourge in respect to
that which they suffered afterward by Shalmaneser, who
carried the Israelites away captive.
(c) While the Jews and Gentiles dwelt together by reason of
those twenty cites, which Solomon gave to Hiram.
9:2 The people that d walked in darkness have seen a great e
light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death,
upon them hath the f light shined.
(d) Which were in captivity in Babylon and the prophets
speaks of that thing which would come to pass 60 years
later as though it were now done.
(e) Meaning, the comfort of their deliverance.
(f) This captivity and deliverance were figures of our
captivity by sin and of our deliverance by Christ
through the preaching of the Gospel, (Mt 4:15,16).
9:3 Thou hast g multiplied the nation, [and] increased the
joy: they rejoice before thee according to the joy in
harvest, [and] as [men] rejoice when they divide the spoil.
(g) Their number was greater when they went into captivity
then when they returned but their joy was greater at
their return, (Hag 2:9).
9:4 For thou hast broken the h yoke of his burden, and the
staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the
day of Midian.
(h) You gave them perfect joy by delivering them, and by
destroying the tyrants, that had kept them in cruel
bondage, as you delivered them by Gideon from the
Midianites, (Jdg 7:21).
9:5 For every battle of the warrior [is] with confused noise,
and garments rolled in blood; but [this] shall be i with
burning [and] fuel of fire.
(i) He speaks of the deliverance of his Church, which he has
delivered miraculously from his enemies, but especially
by the coming of Christ of whom he prophecies in the
next verse.
9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the
government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The
everlasting k Father, The Prince of Peace.
(k) The author of eternity, and by whom the Church and every
member of it will be preserved forever, and have immortal
life.
9:7 Of the increase of [his] government and peace [there shall
be] no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom,
to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with
justice from henceforth even for ever. l The zeal of the
LORD of hosts will perform this.
(l) His singular love and care for his elect.
9:8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon
m Israel.
(m) This is another prophecy against them of Samaria who
were mockers and contemners of God's promises and
menaces.
9:10 The n bricks have fallen down, but we will build with
hewn stones: the sycamores are cut down, but we will change
[them into] cedars.
(n) We were but weak, when the enemy overcame us, but we
will make ourselves so strong, that we will neither
care for our enemies, nor fear God's threatenings.
9:11 Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of o
Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;
(o) Rezin king of Syria, who was in league with Israel, was
slain by the Assyrians, after whose death, Aram that is,
the Syrians were against Israel, who on the other side
were assailed by the Philistines.
9:18 For wickedness p burneth as the fire: it shall devour the
briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the
forest, and they shall mount up [like] the rising of smoke.
(b) Wickedness as a bellows kindles the fire of God's wrath
which consumes all his obstinate enemies.
9:19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land
darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire:
no man shall q spare his brother.
(q) Though there was no foreign enemy, yet they will
destroy one another.
9:20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and
he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be
satisfied: they shall eat every man the r flesh of his
own arm:
(r) Their greediness will be insatiable, so that one
brother will eat up another, as though he should eat
his own flesh.
