Isaiah 8:8–10

Context

These words were spoken by Isaiah in Isaiah 7–8 concerning the crisis during the reign of Ahaz, king of Judah. The background is the so-called Syro-Ephraimite War of the late eighth century BC, in which Rezin, king of Aram, and Pekah, king of the northern kingdom of Israel, joined forces to threaten Judah. The preceding verses, 8:6–7, state that because the people refused "the waters of Shiloah that go softly," God would bring upon them "the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria." Verse 8 presents an image of judgment in which those waters overflow into Judah and "reach even to the neck." In verses 9–10 the addressees shift to the "people" (that is, the nations) gathering to attack Judah. These verses declare that however much they gird themselves and take counsel together, they "shall be broken in pieces." The closing words of verse 10, "God is with us," are immanu El in Hebrew. They are widely regarded as a wordplay that takes up the name "Immanuel" found in 7:14 and 8:8.

Interpretation

• Historical reading: This reading understands the text primarily in terms of events in the time of Ahaz. Assyria threatens to all but swallow up Judah yet ultimately fails to destroy it, and the plans of the nations that have designs on Judah likewise collapse. Immanuel is taken to refer to a child born in that era; some identify the child as a son of Isaiah, while others identify him as Ahaz's son Hezekiah.
• Christological reading: The traditional interpretation of many denominations rests on the Gospel of Matthew's application of the Immanuel of 7:14 to the birth of Jesus Christ. In this reading, the Immanuel of chapter 8 is also connected with the Messiah, and the address "O Immanuel" is understood as calling the land of Judah the Messiah's land.
• The meaning of "wings": Interpreters differ over "the stretching out of his wings" in verse 8. Some see it as the spread of the Assyrian army across the land; others see it as the wings of God, who covers and protects the land even in the midst of crisis.

Questions of Application

This passage is not a significant point of controversy among denominations. Translations do, however, differ. Depending on how the Hebrew root is understood, the first verb of verse 9 is rendered variously as "rage" (or "be noisy"), "associate yourselves," or "be broken." Furthermore, in its original context verse 10 speaks of hope that remains in the midst of judgment. For this reason, some have pointed out that citing the verse as an unconditional promise of prosperity for an individual or community does not fit its context.

In the Korean Church

The expression "for God is with us," together with the name "Immanuel," is sometimes quoted in sermons on God's presence with his people in times of crisis. Along with 7:14, the passage is also used as a background text for Advent and Christmas sermons.

Related Passages

• Isaiah 7:14
• Matthew 1:22–23
• Isaiah 9:1–7
• Psalm 46:8–11
• Romans 8:31