Isaiah 7:18 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The Lord shall hiss for the fly, &c.— See the note on chap. Isaiah 5:26. It is not very strange, that languages should abound with figures and metaphors, or that prophesies should contain parables and apt similitudes. What man, who knows any thing of language or letters, would expect otherwise? However, considering that the word hiss is apt to carry with it a low idea, one might with that our translators had chosen a less offensive word, which might but tolerably have expressed the sense. Besides, the word hiss seems not proper, as not well answering to the original word, שׁרק sharak: for, whether we suppose the metaphor taken from a shepherd's calling to his sheep, or from a bee-keeper's calling to his bees, hiss is not a proper expression for either. Other words, more expressive of the metaphor, might be thought on were it necessary to follow the figure; but I see no reason for such scrupulous exactness. The general word, call, would fully express the meaning; and that is sufficient in such cases. Our older translations, as Coverdale's in 1535, and Mathews's of 1537, and the great Bible of 1539, have it call unto them in this place, and I think very wisely. The Geneva translators of 1560 first brought in hiss unto them: and they have been followed by Parker's Bible, and by our last translation. I commend not the older translations for having whistle in this place, and blow for them in Zechariah 10:8. The same word call would have served better in both these and the other place before referred to. I observe that the Hebrew word קרא kara, is made use of in the 13th chapter, Isaiah 7:3 to the same sense, and for the same purpose, as שׁרק sharak here, and is there literally rendered call: and so might this other word be rendered also without any impropriety. Some indeed have chosen whisper instead of hiss; which is a word of more dignity: but it dilutes and diminishes the sense. A loud or shrill call seems to be intended in all the three places; for neither do shepherds whisper to their sheep, nor bee-keepers to their bees. In short then, I know no better English word than call to preserve the sense, and at the same time to keep up the dignity of expression. The true and full meaning of the two places in this book, is neither more nor less than this; that God, having sovereign command over all nations and people, can convene them together from remote and distant quarters to execute his most righteous judgments. Whenever God gives the signal, or issues out his summons, they will advance with all alacrity to perform his will, though not knowing that his hand is in it. The fly and the bee, in the place before us, denote the Egyptian and Assyrian armies, which should come up with speed from their respective quarters, to execute the divine vengeance upon Palestine for their flagrant iniquities. The former would come swiftly upon them, like swarms of devouring flies, to infer and annoy them, and to exhaust their blood and juices: and the latter should approach as swarms of angry bees or wasps to sting them to death. Such is the prophet's meaning, vailed under elegant figures; which give new life and strength to his expressions, and render the whole the more poignant and more affecting. See Waterland's Scripture vindicated, part 3: p. 42.