Isaiah 8:4

“For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, my father, and my mother, &c.] Which are commonly the first words children learn to say; and so it signifies that what follows should happen in a year or two; as it did: the riches of Damascus, and the spoil of Samaria, shall be taken away before the king of Assyria; or, “he shall take away the riches”f138, &c.; not the child, unless he is considered as the sign of taking them away; but the soldier, put for the whole Assyrian army, which carried off the riches and spoil of these places, in the presence, and by the order, of the king of Assyria; the first of these, namely, Damascus, the metropolis of Syria, with its riches, wealth, and army,…”

“before, &c.--within a year.”

“For before ... - This must have occurred in a short time - probably before the expiration of three years. A child would usually learn to address his parents in that time. In fact, the event here predicted occurred in less than three years from the time when the prophecy was spoken; see the notes at Isaiah 7:16. Before the king of Assyria - By the king, or by his conquests. By the spoil of Samaria here, is to be understood, not the plunder which should be carried away from the city, but from the kingdom of Samaria. In other places, the land is called by the name of the capital; compare 2 Kings 17:26; 2 Kings 23:19; Jeremiah 31:5. The city of Samaria was not plundered until eighteen years…”

“To cry - To speak and to know his parents; which is within the space of two years. And his agrees with the other prophecy, Isa 7:16. Before the child shall know to refuse the evil and chuse the good, which requires a longer time than to distinguish his parents, and suits well to Shear - Jashub, who, being born some years before, was capable of that farther degree of knowledge, as soon as this was capable of the lower degree. Before - In his presence, and by himself and his forces. Isaiah 8:6”

“8:4 before this child is old enough: See also 7:16. • Damascus and Samaria were ruined and destroyed in 732 BC, fulfilling this verse along with 7:8, 19-20.”

“before: Isa 7:15, Isa 7:16; Deu 1:39; Jon 4:11; Rom 9:11 the riches of Damascus: etc. or, he that is before the king of Assyria shall take away the riches, etc. Isa 10:6-14, Isa 17:3; Kg2 15:29, Kg2 16:9, Kg2 17:3, Kg2 17:5, Kg2 17:6 Isaiah 8:5”