Isaiah 41:2

Who? what man or god? Was it not my alone work? The idols were so far from assisting me, that they did their utmost to oppose me in it. Raised up into being and power, stirring up his spirit, and strengthening him to the work. The righteous man, Heb. righteousness, which is put for a man of righteousness, as pride is put for a proud man, Psalms 36:11, and deceit for a deceitful man, Psalms 109:2; for it is evident from the following words that he spake here of a person. But who this person is, is much disputed by interpreters. Some understand it of Christ. And doubtless the person here spoken of was an eminent type of Christ, and so in a mystical sense it may belong to him. But the things here said to be done by this righteous man, seem to agree much better unto a man of war than unto the Prince of peace. And therefore this place is immediately understood either,

1. Of Abraham, who was a person eminently righteous, and came out of Chaldea, which sometimes seems to be called the east, as Isaiah 2:6 Malachi 8:7, who did the things here mentioned; partly in his own person, conquering five kings, and the nations with them, Ge 14, and following God he knew not whither; and partly by his posterity, whose exploits may well be ascribed to him, not only because they came out of his loins, but also and especially because all their successes and victories were given to them for Abraham's sake, and by the virtue of God's promise and covenant made with Abraham, for the giving of Canaan to him and to his seed for ever. And this interpretation may seem to receive some countenance from Isaiah 41:5,6, which agrees well to the practice of the Canaanites and neighbouring nations; who upon Israel's march towards them were filled with great consternation, and used all possible diligence in seeking both to their idols and to men for help against them, as we read in that sacred history. And thus God's argument against idolatry is taken from an illustrious example of God's infinite power, put forth in saving his people, and destroying their enemies before them; and of the impotency of idols to hinder him in that work. Or,

2. Of Cyrus, who might be called a righteous man; or, as it is in the Hebrew, a man of righteousness; because he was raised up in righteousness, as it is said of him, Isaiah 14:13, and was God's great instrument to manifest his righteousness; both his faithfulness, in fulfilling his promise of delivering his people out of Babylon after seventy years ( righteousness being often put for faithfulness); and his justice, in punishing the enemies and oppressors of his people, the wicked Babylonians; upon which account the Medes, who served under Cyrus in his expedition against the Babylonians, are called God's sanctified ones, Isaiah 13:3. And all the other expressions here used are very applicable to him, and were verified in him. He came from the east; from Persia, which was directly eastward, both from Judea and from Babylon, and which is called the east in this very case, Isaiah 46:11. He was raised up by God in an eminent and extraordinary manner, as is noted both by sacred and profane historians; and therefore this very word is used concerning him and his army, not only here, but elsewhere; as Isaiah 13:17 Jer 1 9 51:1,11. To him also all the following passages agree, as we shall see. And although this great person and action were yet to come, yet the prophet speaks of them as if they were already past, as the prophets most frequently do. And as in the clause of the former chapter he speaks of God's people as if they were actually in the captivity of Babylon, Isaiah 41:27, so here he speaks of them as if they were actually brought out of Babylon by Cyrus. And by this instance he pleads his cause against the Gentiles and their idols, because this was an evident proof of God's almighty power, and of the vanity and weakness of idols, which eminently appeared in the destruction of the Babylonians, who were a people mad upon their idols, as is said, Jeremiah 50:38, and yet were destroyed together with their idols, Jeremiah 51:47. From the east; from a country eastward from Judea, as Chaldea was in part, but Persia more directly. Called him to his foot; to march after him, and under God's banner, against Babylon. Thus Barak's army is said to be at his feet, Judges 4:10. Compare also Genesis 30:30. Gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings; subdued nations and their kings before him. He gave them as the dust; to be beaten by him as small as dust, as is said, Psalms 18:42. Or, to be put to flight as easily as the dust is scattered by the wind, as the following clause expounds this.