Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 9:21

Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: [and] they together [shall be] against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still.

21. Manasseh, Ephraim Manasseh ] Ancient tribal jealousies would naturally be revived in a period of anarchy and civil war. Something of this kind seems to be implied in the account of the accession of the usurper Pekah, who murdered Pekahiah, at the head of a band of fifty Gileadites (2Ki 15:25). The tribal names, however, need not be taken quite literally; indeed it is hardly probable that the tribes had preserved their separate identity to so late a time.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Manasseh, Ephraim – This verse is a continuation of the statement in regard to the extent and fearfulness of the faction. Those who were hitherto most tenderly and intimately allied to each other, would now be engaged in furious strife. Manasseh and Ephraim were the two sons of Joseph Gen 46:20, and their names are used as expressive of tender union and friendship; compare Gen 48:20. The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh were near each other, and they always were allied together. The expression here denotes that they who had hitherto been joined in tender alliance, would be rent into contending factions, thirsting for each others blood.

And they together – They would be united in opposing Judah while they were devouring each other, as it is not an uncommon thing for those who are opposed to each other to unite in hostility to a common foe; compare Luk 23:12. This is an image that heightens the description of the anarchy – introducing implacable animosity against another tribe, while they were contending among themselves. That such anarchies and factions existed, is apparent from all the history of the kingdom of Israel; compare 2Ki 15:10 ff; 2Ki 15:30. In this last passage, the death of Pekah is describer as having occurred in a conspiracy formed by Hoshea.

For all this … – see Isa 9:12, note Isa 5:25. This closes the third strophe or part of the prophecy under consideration. The fourth and last strophe occurs in Isa 10:1-4.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Manasseh, Ephraim; though more near and dear to one another than any other tribe, being both sons of Joseph.

They together shall be against Judah; which might be accomplished either before Shalmaneser took Samaria, or afterwards. For though the Israelites were miserably destroyed at that time, yet they were not utterly rooted out; of which See Poole “Isa 7:8“.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

21. Manasseh, Ephraimthe twosons of Joseph. So closely united as to form between them but onetribe; but now about to be rent into factions, thirsting for eachother’s blood. Disunited in all things else, but united “togetheragainst their brother Judah” (2Ki 15:10;2Ki 15:30).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh,…. That is, “Manasseh” shall eat or devour “Ephraim”; and “Ephraim” shall eat or devour “Manasseh”; as the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions render it; which is to be understood of their quarrels, contentions, and wars among themselves, whereby they bit, devoured, and consumed each other, though they were brethren; which explains and confirms what is before said, of no man sparing his brother, and everyone eating the flesh of his own arm. The Targum paraphrases the words thus,

“they of the house of “Manasseh”, with those of the house of “Ephraim”, and they of the house of “Ephraim”, with those of the house of “Manasseh”, shall be joined together as one, to come against them of the house of Judah;”

and so Jarchi interprets them,

“”Manasseh” shall be joined with “Ephraim”, and “Ephraim” shall be joined with “Manasseh”, and they together shall be joined against Judah;”

so it follows,

[and] they together [shall be] against Judah; as the ten tribes did sometimes make war against the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, see

2Ch 28:6:

for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still; more and sorer judgments were to come upon this people for their sins. [See comments on Isa 9:12].

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

21. Manasseh, Ephraim. These tribes were closely related to each other; for besides their being descended from the same ancestor, Abraham, a close relationship arose out of their being descended from one patriarch, his grandson, Joseph. (Gen 41:50.) But though they were closely allied, still God threatens that he will cause them to destroy themselves by mutual conflict, as if they were devouring the flesh of their own arm, and, consequently, that there will be no need of foreign enemies. He likewise adds that, after having wearied themselves out by mutual wounds, both will unite against Judah, in order to destroy it.

And for all this his anger shall not be turned away. If any one take into consideration those calamities which Isaiah threatened, he will be amazed and greatly astonished that still more severe chastisements are foretold. But in this manner God acts towards the wicked, and does not cease to afflict till he utterly overwhelm and destroy them, when, after having been frequently invited, they refuse to be reconciled to him. We need not wonder, therefore, that he inflicts stroke after stroke, as he also foretold by Moses that he would punish seven times more (Lev 26:18), and bring seven times more plagues upon (Lev 26:21) those who would not repent; lest they should think that, when they had been punished once or twice, they would not be punished again.

But his hand is stretched out still. By this he means that rods are prepared, that he may immediately strike with them; for it is not with a woman’s passion that the Lord is angry, but his wrath is immediately followed by revenge.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

21. Manasseh, Ephraim The close tribal relationships in Israel are represented as broken, and each tribe as preying on the other, even of the same federation, while they are together scheming to break up Judah. The two tribes named are occasionally put for the whole of the northern kingdom, (see 2Ch 30:1😉 so here. Their territory lay beside each other, among the rich hills and plains of middle Palestine. The illustrative tropes of this strophe exhibit the nation of Israel in the last throes of dissolution.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

REFLECTIONS

MY soul! behold in Israel’s history, the real history of all men by nature; and the one universal cause of the Lord’s controversy with the sons of men. All have sinned, and come short of God’s glory: And think, my soul, what a mercy it is, that the Lord doth correct. But for this, there would be no hope of a reform. One of the most tremendous scriptures, is that, which the Lord proclaims concerning the incorrigible, when giving them up to fulfil the measure of their iniquities: So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my . jealousy shall depart from thee. Lord! I would say for myself, and for every poor sinner like myself, give us not up to eat the fruit of our own devices. It is better to suffer now, than to perish forever. But oh! accompany thy corrections with thy grace; and cause thy children to hear the rod, and who hath appointed it.

Precious Jesus! how blessed is it, under such circumstances, to look at those sweet promises, which are given in this chapter concerning thee, and thy great salvation, by whom alone all deliverances are wrought. Had it not been for thee, thou gracious glorious Lord! though the Lord’s anger had been stretched out to all eternity, not a soul could have found the possibility of returning to him. His justice must have burned to the lowest hell: neither could it have been satisfied forever, Hail! thou almighty Deliverer of thy people! we welcome thy coming in the name of the Lord! Blessed forever be the joyful sound, that unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given! Oh! the unspeakable felicity, that the government is upon thy shoulder; and that all power is thine, in heaven and in earth. Give then, thou dearest Lord, to thy people, to know thee, by every endearing name and in every glorious character. Be thou to me, to each, to all, our wonderful Counselor, our mighty God, our everlasting Father, our Prince of Peace! And since in ourselves, and in all our circumstances, we are nothing, can do nothing, and by reason of sin are worse than nothing; oh, Lord, do thou carry on thy work with power in our souls; and of the increase of thy government and peace let there be no end. Let it be ever growing, and still to grow. Give an increase of grace, in every heart of thy redeemed upon earth. And even when thou shalt have brought home thy ransomed from earth to heaven, and the whole work and glory of redemption is then fully manifested to be thine; yet, blessed Jesus, even then, when thou shalt have delivered up the kingdom of thy mediatorial power, and Jehovah in his threefold character of person is glorified in the salvation of the Church; then, then, thou adorable Redeemer, thou wilt still, be the glorious Head, and cause, and source; of all the blessedness of thy Church and people; and every new gift of felicity they enjoy, they will enjoy in thee, and from thee, and with thee, and it will be Jesus, and his church, to be glorious and going on in glory, forever and forever, Oh! the wonders and blessedness of salvation in Christ!

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Isa 9:21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: [and] they together [shall be] against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand [is] stretched out still.

Ver. 21. Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh. ] Snarling at and intertearing one another, as dogs, about the kingly dignity, or some other reasonless reason. Thus the prophet exemplifieth what he had spoken.

And they together shall be against Judah. ] So Herod and Pilate could unite against Christ, Luk 23:7-9 and those that were at greatest enmity among themselves against the Church. Psa 83:5 ; Psa 83:8 So in Julian the apostate’s time Jews and Gentiles combined against Christians; and in our days Papists and Lutherans against Calvinists. a How unworthily and impotently do the Lutherans of Suevia rail upon that holy man Oecolampadius, whose note it is upon this text, that these last dangerous times were foretold by St Paul. 2Ti 3:1-2 Annon eosdem describunt Paulus et Iesaias? saith he: Do not Paul and Isaiah describe the same men? Bullinger observeth concerning the Anabaptists of Germany, that as they are at great odds among themselves, so they all agree against goldly ministers of the truth, to despise and disparage them to the utmost.

a In Syngram.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)