Isaiah 17:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This serves as a parallel to the fate of the Samarians; they will experience suffering akin to the harvested grain. There will be little left behind—like a single stalk or a few hidden olives—unnoticed by those gathering, as they rest on the topmost branches.

These words come from the Lord God of Israel. On that day, a person will place their trust in the Creator, setting their eyes upon the Holy One of Israel. They will no longer rely on their own creations or the labor of their hands, but will put their faith in the Holy One of Israel, neglecting their idols and abominable practices. The wise Paul recognizes that the discipline of God, given to those called to the truth, is not in vain; he writes in his epistle, “But if you endure punishment, God is treating you as sons; for what son is not disciplined by his father?” He cites scriptural wisdom, saying, “My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” Since the Sustainer of all is good, He desires for all to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Therefore, He has often sent holy prophets to counsel the Israelites, particularly those in Jerusalem who had shifted to Samaria. They, having indulged their desires and forsaken the true God, have turned to the worship of demons and lifeless idols. Their ignorance was so great that they didn’t even recognize it as a sickness, leading to God’s judgment against them. Those unresponsive to His word often find themselves changed by suffering, their suffering serving to draw them back to what pleases God. As the blessed David said, “With a hook and bridle, you shall restrain those who do not approach you.” Just as skilled trainers use bridles to lead wild horses to a calm path, so too does the Sovereign Lord, through trials and tribulations, redirect the disobedient towards a righteous life.

After enduring the hardships of conflict, the inhabitants of Samaria will recognize their Punisher and forsake idol worship, turning their focus to the Holy One of Israel from whom they seek salvation and deliverance. They will cease to place their trust in the fruits of their own creation, their handiwork, nor in their idols. It had once been their practice to ascend mountains and worship under oak trees, as recorded. Yet, they will abandon such practices, having learned by experience the futility of these endeavors, which had been the source of their woes and downfall, leading to their defeat by enemies. Therefore, it is paramount to heed this lesson and strive to distance oneself from divine wrath, avoiding the need for painful experiences to teach them. Instead, they should proactively eliminate the root causes of God's anger, seeking righteousness before falling victim to judgment, and actively pursuing virtue in every aspect of life.

The entirety of their populace will decline and amount to nothing.

It is written regarding the calling of the Gentiles, "The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few" (Matt. 9:37). They will gather the humble remnant of the harvest rescued by the apostles, finding just a few ears, not high in mountains, but in the valley of Raphaim—symbolizing the emptiness of mere words. Significantly, "Raphaim" means the giants, likening to those in Ephraim, the Pharisees, and the scribes. Moreover, the Septuagint translated "the valley of Raphaim" as "the valley of the hard-hearted," reflecting the stubbornness of the Jews. From their insignificance, the saved will be retrieved like ears from straw, like remnants after the harvest of grapes, as well as like two, three, or four or five olives remaining after the olive tree is shaken.

When upheaval struck the people of Judah, that olive tree representing the nation of Israel, which once had six hundred thousand armed men under Moses (Num. 26) and countless numbers under David (2 Sam. 24), could scarcely yield few fruits for the Savior: two olives representing Paul and Barnabas, and three representing Peter, James, and John (Acts 13), who were honored to witness the transfiguration of the Lord (Matt. 17) and accompany Him to the ruler’s daughter. The four and five olives pertain to the remaining nine apostles, among whom Matthew took the place of Judas the traitor (Acts 3), reflecting the number of the Gospels and the writings of the Law, serving as heralds of both covenants.

In that day, the glory of Jacob will be reduced, and his robust nature will diminish. The prophecy speaks of Damascus ceasing to function as a city, adorned with the glory that Israel once possessed. Consequently, all the strength and substance of Jacob will decline, as he will lack allies to attack Jerusalem alongside him. It was previously recounted that Rezin, king of Syria, and Pekah, son of Remaliah, conspired against Jerusalem, and it was relayed to the house of David that Syria and Ephraim allied against him. The prophet’s words to Ahaz were: "Fear not, nor let your heart be troubled at the two tails of these smoking embers," referring to the rage of Rezin, king of Syria, and the son of Remaliah, indicating the serious threat posed by their coalition against him.