8 The Lord has spoken out against Jacob; his judgment has fallen upon Israel. 9 And the people of Israel and Samaria, who spoke with such pride and arrogance, will soon know it. 10 They said, "We will replace the broken bricks of our ruins with finished stone, and replant the felled sycamore-fig trees with cedars." 11 But the Lord will bring Rezin's enemies against Israel and stir up all their foes. 12 The Syrians from the east and the Philistines from the west will bare their fangs and devour Israel. But even then the Lord 's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike. 13 For after all this punishment, the people will still not repent. They will not seek the Lord of Heaven's Armies. 14 Therefore, in a single day the Lord will destroy both the head and the tail, the noble palm branch and the lowly reed. 15 The leaders of Israel are the head, and the lying prophets are the tail. 16 For the leaders of the people have misled them. They have led them down the path of destruction. 17 That is why the Lord takes no pleasure in the young men and shows no mercy even to the widows and orphans. For they are all wicked hypocrites, and they all speak foolishness. But even then the Lord 's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike. 18 This wickedness is like a brushfire. It burns not only briers and thorns but also sets the forests ablaze. Its burning sends up clouds of smoke. 19 The land will be blackened by the fury of the Lord of Heaven's Armies. The people will be fuel for the fire, and no one will spare even his own brother. 20 They will attack their neighbor on the right but will still be hungry. They will devour their neighbor on the left but will not be satisfied. In the end they will even eat their own children. 21 Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, Ephraim will feed on Manasseh, and both will devour Judah. But even then the Lord 's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah 9:8-21
Commentary on Isaiah 9:8-21
(Read Isaiah 9:8-21)
Those are ripening apace for ruin, whose hearts are unhumbled under humbling providences. For that which God designs, in smiting us, is, to turn us to himself; and if this point be not gained by lesser judgments, greater may be expected. The leaders of the people misled them. We have reason to be afraid of those that speak well of us, when we do ill. Wickedness was universal, all were infected with it. They shall be in trouble, and see no way out; and when men's ways displease the Lord, he makes even their friends to be at war with them. God would take away those they thought to have help from. Their rulers were the head. Their false prophets were the tail and the rush, the most despicable. In these civil contests, men preyed on near relations who were as their own flesh. The people turn not to Him who smites them, therefore he continues to smite: for when God judges, he will overcome; and the proudest, stoutest sinner shall either bend or break.