Isaiah 8:2

Isa 8:2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

Ver. 2. And I took unto me faithful witnesses.] So they might be, and yet not godly men; as Galba and our Richard III were said to be bad men, but yet good princes. Some think that this Uriah was the same with him that brought in the altar of Damascus. He had been better perhaps, but at last revolted; as did Demas, of whom Dorotheus saith that he became a priest in an idol temple at Thessalonica; and Damascen, who turned Mohammedan, as some write. Zechariah, the other witness, was a man of great eminence, as being grandfather, by the mother’s side, to good Hezekiah.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isa 8:2-3. And I took me faithful witnesses — Persons of unquestionable reputation, who should bear witness that the following name and prophecy were written and published by me, according to God’s command. It is likely these witnesses signed a copy of the prophecy with their own hands, and dated it according to the time it was declared by the prophet. And I went unto the prophetess — His own wife, so called, because she was the wife of a prophet, wives being frequently denominated from their husband’s titles. Or possibly she herself might be endowed with the gift of prophecy. Some commentators suppose that Isaiah married another wife on this occasion, and that the witnesses above mentioned were called to attest the matrimonial contract, according to the custom of the Jews. But there are no indications of this, and, as it is certain from the preceding chapter that he already had a wife, the mother of Shear-jashub, it seems highly improbable that he should take another. Others again suppose, that these witnesses, who were persons of rank, “were called on to attend the circumcision of the prophet’s son, and to attest the name by which he was called, as well as the prophecy, confirmed and illustrated by that name.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Because the thing was of great importance, he took these two witnesses, which were of credit with the people, when he set this up upon the door of the Temple, albeit Uriah was a flattering hypocrite, 2 Kings 16:11.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

I took--rather, "The Lord said to me, that I should take," &c. [MAURER].

Uriah--an accomplice of Ahaz in idolatry, and therefore a witness not likely to assist the prophet of God in getting up a prophecy after the event (Kg2 16:10). The witnesses were in order that when the event should come, they might testify that the tablet containing the prophecy had been inscribed with it at the time that it professed.

Zechariah-- (Ch2 29:13).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(2) And I took unto me faithful witnesses.—That the prophet’s challenge to his gainsayers might be made more emphatic, the setting-up of the tablet is to be formally attested. And the witnesses whom the prophet calls were probably men of high position, among those who had been foremost in advising the alliance with Assyria. Of Uriah or Urijah, the priest, we know that he complied with the king’s desire to introduce an altar after the pattern which he had seen at Damascus (2Ki_16:10-11). Of Zechariah we know nothing; but the name was a priestly one (2Ch_24:20), and it has been conjectured, from his association with Isaiah, that he may have been the writer of a section of the book that bears the name of a later Zechariah (Zechariah 9-12), which bears traces of being of a much earlier date than the rest of the book. The combination of “Zachariah, son of Jeberechiah” reminds us of Zacharias, the son of Barachias, and points to a priestly family. (See Note on Mat_23:35.) In 2Ch_29:13 the name appears as belonging to the Asaph section of the Levites. A more probable view is that he was identical with the father of the queen then reigning, and was therefore the grandfather of Hezekiah (2Ch_29:1). Probably, looking to the prophet’s habit of tracing auguries in names, the two witnesses may have been partly chosen for the significance of those which they bore, Uriah, i.e., “Jah is my light,” Zechariah, i.e., “Jah will remember,” each of which comes in with a special appropriateness.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. And I took] The Hebr. pointing gives and I will take (as in R.V.). The speaker is still Jehovah. The LXX. and other old versions have the imperative (“and take for me”) which, as addressed to the prophet, reads more naturally. Uriah the priest is mentioned in 2Ki_16:10 ff.; Zechariah is unknown, although the name occurs in the nearly contemporary notices of 2Ch_26:5; 2Ch_29:13. He has even been identified, somewhat rashly, with the author of Zechariah 9-11 on the ground of Zec_1:1. It is not to be inferred that the two men were intimate friends of Isaiah, still less that they belonged to the band of his disciples (Isa_8:16); they are called to witness simply as responsible public persons, trusted by the people.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record,.... Not his marriage, nor the birth of his son, nor the name he gave him, but the prophecy written in the roll, concerning the spoiling of Syria and Israel, in a very short time; that so, when it came to pass, it might be a clear and certain point that it had been foretold by him:

Uriah the priest; of whom mention is made in Kg2 16:10 which some object to, because he proved a wicked man, and obeyed the king's command, contrary to the law of God, in building an altar according to the form of one at Damascus; but to this it is replied, that it was before this happened that Isaiah took him to be a witness; and besides, because of the authority of his office, and his familiarity with Ahaz, he must be allowed to be a proper and pertinent person to bear testimony in this case. Some indeed, and so the Jewish commentators, Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Abarbinel, would have Uriah the prophet meant, who prophesied in the times of Jehoiakim, and was slain by him, Jer 26:20 to which it is objected, that he was no priest, as this was and, besides, was not born at this time; it was a hundred and forty years after that he lived:

and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah; this was Zechariah the prophet, as the Targum, and all the Jewish writers, say (o); who lived in the times of Darius, which was two hundred and forty years after this; but most likely this Zechariah is he who was Ahaz's wife's father, Kg2 18:2 or rather, as Vitringa thinks, Zechariah a Levite, a son of Asaph, Ch2 29:13 though there are some learned men (p), who think the two prophets Uriah and Zechariah are meant, though then unborn; who prophesied of the like or same things as Isaiah did; and so were faithful witnesses of his prophecy, as of the calamities that should come on the land, the restitution of it to its former fruitfulness, and the coming of the Messiah; nor is the observation of Abarbinel to be despised, taken from the ancient Jews, that these are the words, not of the prophet, but of God himself; as also that they are to be read in the future tense, "and I will take to me", &c.

(o) T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 24. 2. (p) Cocceius, Witsius, Miscel. Sacr. tom. 1. l. 1. c. 20. sect. 8, 9, 10.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And I took unto me faithful witnesses - What was the precise object in calling in these witnesses is not known. Some have supposed that it was to bear testimony to the marriage of the prophet at that time. But it may have been for the purpose of a public record of the prophecy; a record so made, that the precise time when it was delivered could be attested without dispute. The prophecy was an important one; and it was important to know, in the most authentic and undisputed manner, that such a prophecy had been delivered. It is probable that the prophecy, attested by the names of those two men, was suspended in some public place in the temple, so that it might be seen by the people, and allay their fears; and in order to remove from the multitude every suspicion that it was a prophecy after the event. That this was a real, and not a symbolic transaction, is perfectly manifest, not only from the narrative itself, but from Isa 8:18. They are called ‘faithful,’ not off account of their private character, but because their public testimony would be credited by the people.

To record - To bear witness.

Uriah the priest - This is, doubtless, the same man that is mentioned in 2Ki 16:10. He was a man of infamous character; the accomplice of Ahaz in corrupting the true religion; but still his testimony might be the more valuable to Ahaz, as he was associated with him in his plans.

And Zechariah ... - It is not certainly known who this was. Perhaps he was one of the Levites whose name is mentioned in 2Ch 29:13.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Persons of unquestionable reputation, who should bear witness that the following name and prophecy was written and published by me, according to God’s command.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. Uriah the priest — The same that was sent for to Damascus by Ahaz to take a complete pattern of a heathen altar which the king desired to be erected in the temple at Jerusalem. 2Ki_16:10. He was a bad man; a willing accomplice of Ahaz to introduce a corrupt religion into Jerusalem. Who Zechariah was is not so clear; possibly he was a Levite mentioned in 2Ch_29:13. Both were of the king’s party, as against the reform party of Isaiah; so that it could not be pretended that it was a prediction forged after the event.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And I took unto me; rather, and I will have taken for me. It is still God who is speaking. Uriah the priest. Probably the high priest of the time, mentioned in 2Ki_16:10-16, as the ready tool of Ahaz at a later date. Though a bad man, he may have been a trustworthy witness to a fact. Zechariah. Perhaps the father of Abi or Abijah, Ahaz"s queen. (2Ki_18:2 2Ch_29:1) It would serve to call public attention still more to the tablet, if it bore the names of two such eminent persons as witnesses.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In order to preclude all suspicion of its having been uttered after the event, the prophecy is not only recorded, but attested by two witnesses. “And I (Jehovah) will take to witness for me credible witnesses, to wit, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah, son of Jeberechiah.” Uriah is probably the same who connived at the king’s profanation of the temple (2Ki 16:10-16). The word credible does not relate to their true character or standing in the sight of God, but to their credit with the people, especially perhaps with the king, in which view, as well as on account of his official rank, Uriah was a very suitable witness. The same consideration makes it not improbable that the Zechariah mentioned here was the father-in-law of Ahaz (2Ki 18:2; 2Ch 29:1), perhaps the same that is mentioned as a Levite of the family of Asaph (2Ch 29:13).

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And I will call to testify for Myself also in those days, in the days of Jehoiakim, concerning that calamity, destined to befall them, two trustworthy witnesses, one to foretell for them the evil that was destined to come upon them, viz. Uriah the priest, whom Jehoiakim dispatched, as it is said (Jer. 26: 20): “And also a man was prophesying in the name of the Lord, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim, and he prophesied concerning this city and concerning this land, according to all the words of Jeremiah.”

and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah who prophesied in the second year of Darius (Zech. 8:4): “Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem.” Uriah is a sign for Zechariah. If you see that Uriah’s prophecy is fulfilled, you can expect that Zechariah’s will likewise be fulfilled, just as I have called to testify concerning Sennacherib, Amos and Isaiah; Amos for the calamity of the ten tribes (Amos 7:11): “And Israel shall surely be exiled,” and Isaiah for his promise to Hezekiah (Isaiah 32,33) [when he would reign].

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

. ואעידה According to some the א is here instead of ה. And take unto me faithful witnesses. According to others the future is used for the past: And I took unto me faithful witnesses. It may, however, be taken literally, that I should take as witnesses for me. The prophet did what God commanded, although it is not related in the text.

Uriah THE priest; Uriah was then high priest. Zachariah was likewise a great man; what our Sages say about the prophecies of Zachariah and Uriah is well known.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.