Prophecy to Achaz – Calamity or Consolation/2

Prophecy of Calamity or Consolation?

Exegetical Approaches

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Consolation

Yeshayahu's words constitute a prophecy of consolation and encouragement.  This approach subdivides regarding the event about which Achaz is being comforted:

The Aramean-Israelite Threat

All of Yeshayahu's words relate to the threat posed by the Aramean-Israelite alliance. Yeshayahu tells Achaz that he need not worry since both countries are soon to be destroyed by Assyria.

Sources:A. Chakham¹

Single message – One of the advantages of this approach is that it presents Yeshayahu as speaking about only one issue, with one unified message, throughout the chapter.  Everything the prophet says relates to the downfall of Aram and Israel.

Anger regarding the sign – According to this approach, despite Yeshayahu's anger at Achaz for refusing a Divine sign, the prophet continues to promise Hashem's aid and encourage the king that he has nothing to fear from his enemies.

"יָבִיא י"י עָלֶיךָ... יָמִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא בָאוּ לְמִיּוֹם סוּר אֶפְרַיִם מֵעַל יְהוּדָה" – Despite first impressions, these words need not connote that calamity is to befall Yehuda, as the term "יָבִיא י"י עָלֶיךָ" can relate to good tidings as well as bad.²  Yeshayahu is prophesying that with the fall of Israel at the hand of Assyria,³ the state of the nation will revert to what it had been before the split of the kingdom (לְמִיּוֹם סוּר אֶפְרַיִם מֵעַל יְהוּדָה),⁴ when there was just one monarch who ruled over the entire country.⁵ This might reflect hopes that Chizkiyahu was to revive the Davidic dynasty of old,⁶ take control of the Northern kingdom, and be a Messianic type of figure.⁷

Flies of Egypt and bees of Assyria – According to this approach, the mention of the "זְּבוּב אֲשֶׁר בִּקְצֵה יְאֹרֵי מִצְרָיִם" is not intended to connote  that Egypt was to join forces with Assyria; it is simply a metaphor for any vast army. As such, the image of both the flies and the bees refer to the swarms of Assyrian soldiers who were to fall upon Aram and Israel.

"תַעַר הַשְּׂכִירָה" – According to this position, the words "מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר" serve to identify the "תַעַר הַשְּׂכִירָה".  Assyria is likened to a "razor" as it is about to raze the lands of Aram and Israel until not a hair is left.  This approach might agree with Rashi Yeshayahu 7:15-25About R. Shelomo Yitzchakithat "הַשְּׂכִירָה" refers to an honored or important person (or nation),⁸ rather than a hired hand.

"Butter and honey" – This approach could read the two appearances of the image in one of two ways:

• In both verses 15 and 22, the eating of "butter and honey" is a metaphor for blessings which will benefit Yehuda.  Yeshayahu declares that after Aram and Israel are defeated, the cattle of the Judeans will give forth so much milk that butter will be made from the leftovers.⁹  This positive understanding of the image might be supported by its similarity to the phrase "אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ", a description which consistently has a positive connotation in Tanakh.
• Alternatively, while the image in verse 15 is a sign of blessing, in verse 22 the excessive butter is really a sign of the desolation in Aram and Israel. Yeshayahu tells Achaz that due to the Assyrian invasion, all agricultural produce in his enemies' countries will be ruined, so that the refugees from war will have only milk to consume. According to this reading, everything in verses 18-25 refers to the destruction which will take place in Aram and Israel.¹⁰ The prophet might intentionally uses the same image in contrasting ways because the desolation brought to Yehuda's enemies is what will allow Achaz' own land to thrive.

"לַשָּׁמִיר וְלַשַּׁיִת יִהְיֶה" – The description of desolation in verses 23-25 relates to the lands of Aram and Israel.  After they are subdued by Assyria, the land will be barren and overgrown.

Both the Aramean-Israelite and the Assyrian Threat

Yeshayahu tells Achaz that he has nothing to fear from Aram and Israel, since Assyria is soon to ravage both countries.  Though Assyria will invade Yehuda as well, Yehuda will survive and Sancheriv's army will be defeated.

Sources:Ibn Balaam, RashiYeshayahu 7:15-25About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, Ibn EzraYeshayahu 7:15-25About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, RadakYeshayahu 7:15-25About R. David Kimchi, Ibn Kaspi, Abarbanel

Relationship between parts of the chapter

"יָבִיא י"י עָלֶיךָ... אֵת מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר" – These sources understand this verse to mean that Yehuda, too, will be attacked by Assyria. Yeshayahu tells Achaz that though he has nothing to fear from Aram and Israel, he should worry about Assyria. He will be plagued by Tiglat Pilesser, and Chizkiyahu¹¹ will be by attacked by Sancheriv.

"תַעַר הַשְּׂכִירָה"

Rebuke

Yeshayahu's words constitute a rebuke to Achaz for not trusting in Hashem's promise that He will aid Yehuda. As punishment for seeking human assistance, Achaz is told that Assyria will smite not only Aram and Israel, but Yehuda as well.

Sources:R. Eliezer of BeaugencyYeshayahu 7:15-25About R. Eliezer of Beaugency, ShadalYeshayahu 7 IntroductionYeshayahu 7:12Yeshayahu 7:15-25About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto, MalbimYeshayahu Beur HaInyan 7:15-25About R. Meir Leibush Weiser

Refusal to receive a sign – Achaz's refusal to ask for a sign betrayed his lack of belief in Hashem's aid, clarifying to Yeshayahu that Achaz had no intention of heeding his advice to trust in God and not seek foreign assistance ("הִשָּׁמֵר וְהַשְׁקֵט").

The sign: Emanuel – Shadal claims that due to Achaz' refusal to ask for a sign, Yeshayahu gave him one which did not suffice to calm his fears.  Since the birth of Emanuel was not to be immediate, Achaz was left to his worries.  This ensured that he continued on the path he had set for himself, bribing Assyria to fight against his enemies (See Melakhim II 16:8-9 and Divrei HaYamim II 28:16)

"יָבִיא י"י עָלֶיךָ... אֵת מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר" – According to these sources, the words "יָבִיא י"י עָלֶיךָ" imply that Assyria will attack Yehuda itself. After telling Achaz about the fall of Aram and Israel, Yeshayahu warns Achaz that the very kingdom which he hoped would help him, will eventually turn on him and devastate his country. These sources differ regarding the specific event to which Yeshayahu refers:

• Tiglat Pilesser's invasion – According to Shadal, Yeshayahu is speaking of Tiglat Pilesser himself, who attacked Yehuda as Divrei HaYamim shares, "וַיָּבֹא עָלָיו תִּלְּגַת פִּלְנְאֶסֶר מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר וַיָּצַר לוֹ וְלֹא חֲזָקוֹ".‎
• Sancheriv's campaign – R"E of Beaugency, in contrast, assumes that Yeshayahu is referring to Sancheriv's campaign against Yehuda in the time of Chizkiyahu.

Biblical parallels – Elsewhere in Tanakh, as well, there are similar warnings that seeking foreign aid rather than trusting in Hashem will result in catastrophe (especially when one invites a foreigner to attack one's own brother):

• In Divrei HaYamim II 16, when Asa seeks Aram's help against Basha, he is rebuked by the prophet Chanani, "בְּהִשָּׁעֶנְךָ עַל מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם וְלֹא נִשְׁעַנְתָּ עַל י"י אֱלֹהֶיךָ עַל כֵּן נִמְלַט חֵיל מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם מִיָּדֶךָ".
• Chizkiyahu's showing of his treasures to Merodakh Baladan of Bavel has been understood as an attempt to join an alliance against Assyria.¹² Yeshayahu reacts in anger, warning Chizkiyahu, ‎"‎‎הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים וְנִשָּׂא כׇּל אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵיתֶךָ וַאֲשֶׁר אָצְרוּ אֲבֹתֶיךָ עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה בָּבֶלָה".‎ ¹³

"תַעַר הַשְּׂכִירָה" – The image of a "תַעַר הַשְּׂכִירָה" refers to Assyria, so called because he had been "hired" by Achaz to attack Aram and Israel.

Flies of Egypt – This approach might suggest that Egypt is mentioned, not because they joined forces with Assyria against Yehuda, but because they were another enemy country which Judean kings relied upon and turned to for assistance when dealing with foreign affairs.¹⁴  Yeshayahu tells Achaz that any empire in whom he will trust rather than Hashem will ultimately not only fail him, but turn into a foe.¹⁵

Butter and honey – According to Shadal. the same image is used to connote opposite concepts in verses 15 and 22.  In verse 15, the promise that Emanuel will eat fat and honey is a sign of the upcoming salvation from Aram and Israel, while in verse 22 it signifies the devastation to be wrought on Yehuda. Since all the agricultural land will be laid barren by the Assyrian forces, all that will be left to eat will be the milk produced by cattle. It is possible that the prophet intentionally used the same image to highlight how Achaz' lack of belief turned a promise of blessing into a curse.

"לַשָּׁמִיר וְלַשַּׁיִת יִהְיֶה" – This description of devastation refers to the aftermath of Assyria's attack on Yehuda. Yehuda will be barren, her fruitful vines laid to waste and her land filled with thorns.¹⁶  This description could match either the end of Achaz' era, as Chizkiyahu says of his father's reign: "וַיְהִי קֶצֶף י"י עַל יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלָ‍ִם וַיִּתְּנֵם [לְזַעֲוָה] (לזועה) לְשַׁמָּה וְלִשְׁרֵקָה " (Divrei haYamim II 29:8)., or it could refer to the aftermath of Sancheriv's campaign.

¹ A. Chakham, Da'at Mikra Commentary to Sefer Yeshayahu (Jerusalem, 1984): 83-87. A. Chakham brings two readings for the unit, one in which he reads all the verses as being consolation, and one in which he reads them as rebuke.

² See, for instance, Bereshit 18:19 where Hashem speaks of bringing blessing to Avraham or Devarim 28:2 where Hashem promises rewards for obedience, " וּבָאוּ עָלֶיךָ כׇּל הַבְּרָכוֹת הָאֵלֶּה".

³ Even though the Northern Kingdom is not totally exiled in this period, Tiglat Pilesser's attack marks the beginning of the end.

⁴ If so, the phrase, "לְמִיּוֹם סוּר אֶפְרַיִם מֵעַל יְהוּדָה" means: from the days [before] Ephraim separated from Yehuda.

⁵ This reading would work better had the verse not ended with the words "אֵת מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר" which suggests that Hashem is not only bringing upon Yehuda an era comparable to that of the United Monarchy, but also bringing upon him Assyria.  This position would respond that the words "אֵת מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר" come to explain how this is to be accomplished.  When Assyria conquers Israel, there will be an opportunity to revert back to the conditions that existed before the split of the kingdom.

⁶ This would explain why Yeshayhau says that events are to affect not only Achaz and the nation("עָלֶיךָ וְעַל עַמְּךָ"), but also "בֵּית אָבִיךָ", his individual line and dynasty .

⁷ Alternatively, the term "יָבִיא י"י עָלֶיךָ"  simply means that tumultuous events are to occur which Yehuda will be witness to and affected by. Assyria is to decimate and exile Ephraim, an event which will be similar in gravity to the split of the kingdom (even if it won't bring full control back to Yehuda).

⁸ In support of such usage he points to Yirmeyahu 46:21.

⁹ The fact that the verse describes those who eat from the milk as "כׇּל הַנּוֹתָר בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ" is somewhat difficult for this approach, since there is no reason to describe the Judeans as "a remnant" if the entire prophecy is one of consolation and reassurance that they are not to be attacked by Aram and Israel.

¹⁰ Thus, the "land" spoken of in verse 22 is identical with that mentioned in verse 24. [According to the first possibility brought, in contrast, one verse speaks of the land of Yehuda and one of the lands of Aram and Israel.]

¹¹ Radak claims that the prophet says "וְעַל בֵּית אָבִיךָ" rather than "על בנך" out of respect to Chizkiyahu who did not follow in the evil ways of his father.

¹² See Y. Elitzur, "ישעיהו מול חזקיהו ומראדך בלאדן", in ישראל והמקרא, (Ramat Gan, 2000): 201-209.

¹³ Later in history, as well, asking a foreigner for help against a brother has similar consequences.  In Second Temple Times, when Aristobulus and Hyrcanus invite Rome to intervene in their conflict over the throne, it marks the beginning of Roman dominion over Israel and spells disaster for all involved..

¹⁴ See Yeshayahu 20 and Yeshayahu 31:1-3 where he warns the people against trusting in Egypt for aid.

¹⁵ Shadal, instead, suggests that the "flies of Egypt" is simply an analogy, meant to convey a huge army. Since the Nile bred many insects, such swarms were common in Egypt, and served as an apt metaphor for Assyria's army.

¹⁶ According to this position, the description of plentiful fat and honey in verse 22 is intrinsically related to this description of desolation. The former is an outgrowth of the latter.