Isaiah 41:14-16

Israel itself, in the might of Jehovah, shall be the means of crushing and scattering its foes. The idea, however, is not that of warlike conquest on the part of the Israelites, it is simply that in the contest Israel is as the threshing instrument to the corn, it is armed with an irresistible strength. Cheyne pointed out that in Isaiah 41:14 a, Israel is addressed in the fem., but that is in all probability a mere freak of the punctuators, suggested by the fem. "worm."

thou worm Jacob Cf. Psalms 22:6; Job 25:6. ye men of Israel supplies a very weak parallel. It is generally taken as an ellipsis for "ye few men of I." (as if it were מתי מספר, Genesis 34:30 &c.), but that would have to be expressed. We should probably read with Ewald "thou small worm Israel" (רמת for מתי); the two words for "worm" occur together in Job 25:6 and also in ch. Isaiah 14:11.

I will help Render, as before, I help.

and thy redeemer, the Holy One Read with R.V. and thy Redeemer is the Holy One. The word for "Redeemer" is Gô"çl, the technical term for the person charged with the duty of buying back the alienated property of a kinsman, of avenging his death, and certain other obligations (see Leviticus 25:48 f.; Numbers 35:19 ff.; Ruth 3:12 &c.). It is a standing title of Jehovah in the latter part of Isaiah, occurring in 12 passages (the corresponding verb in 6 others). The verb means originally to assert a rightby purchase: hence fig. to reclaim, rescue&c.; Driver, Introduction6, p. 418.