child designated; and, farther, in the correspondence of Immanuel with אל גבור, God-Hero. (5.) "Against the Messianic explanation, and in favour of that of a son of the Prophet, is the passage chap. viii. 18, where the Prophet says that his sons have been given to him for signs and wonders in Israel." But although Immanuel be erroneously reckoned among the sons of the Prophet, there still remain Shearjashub and Mahershalalhashbaz. The latter name refers, _in the first instance only_, to Aram and Ephraim specially; or the general truth which it declares is applied to this relation only. But, just as the name Shearjashub announces new _salvation_ to the prostrate _people of God_, so the second name announces near _destruction_ to the triumphing _world_ hostile to God; so that both the names supplement one another. As _signs_, these two sons of the Prophet pointed to the future deliverance and salvation of Israel, and the defeat of the world; and the very circumstance that they did so when, humanly viewed, all seemed to be lost, was a subject for wonder. But that we can in no case make Immanuel a third son of the Prophet, we have already proved. Ver. 15. _Cream and honey shall he eat, when he knows to refuse the evil and choose the good._ Ver. 16. _For before the boy shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the country shall be forsaken of the two kings of which thou standest in awe._ The older Messianic explanation has, in these two verses, exposed itself to the charge of being quite arbitrary. Most of the interpreters assume that, in ver. 15, the true humanity of the Saviour is announced. The name Immanuel is intended to indicate the divine nature; the eating of milk and honey the human nature. Milk and honey are in this case considered as the ordinary food for babes; like other children. He shall grow up, and, like them, gradually develope. Thus _Jerome_ says: "I shall mention another feature still more wonderful: That you may not believe that he will be born a phantasm. He will use the food of infants, will eat butter and milk." _Calvin_ says: "In order that here we may not think of some spectre, the Prophet states signs of humanity from which he proves that Christ, indeed put on our flesh." In the same manner _Irenænus_, _Chrysostom_, _Basil_, and, in our century, _Kleuker_ and _Rosenmüller_ speak.--But this explanation [Pg 55] is altogether overthrown by ver. 16. Most interpreters assume, in the latter verse, a change of subject; by נער, not Immanuel, but Shearjashub, who accompanied the Prophet, is to be understood. According to others, it is not any definite boy who is designated by נער; but it is said in general, that the devastation of the hostile country would take place in a still shorter time than that which elapses between the birth of a boy and his development. Such is _Calvin's_ view. But the supposition of a change of subject is altogether excluded, even by the circumstance that one and the same