Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Isaiah 49:23

thy nursing fathers thy guardians; i.e. of course, the guardians of her children (in spite of ch. Isaiah 60:16); see Num 11:12; 2 Kings 10:1; Esther 2:7 &c. The figure appears to express the permanent relation of the kingdoms of the world to the glorified people of God.

lick up the dust of thy feet An extravagant, but thoroughly Oriental, metaphor for abject self-humiliation (cf. Micah 7:17; Psalms 72:9). Gesenius quotes from a Persian poem the following sentiment of a prince to his conqueror: "When I shall have the good fortune to kiss the dust of thy feet, then I shall believe that fortune flatters me," &c. Comp. ch. Isaiah 45:14; Isaiah 60:14.

for they shall not be ashamed &c. Strictly a relative sentence, "they that wait on Whom shall not be ashamed"; which is perhaps hardly English. Render as R.V. and they that wait for me shall not be ashamed.

Continues after advertising

See also Isaiah 49:23 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Isaiah 49:23. _WITH_ THEIR _FACE TOWARD THE EARTH_ - "With their faces to the earth"] It is well known that expressions of submission, homage, and reverence always have been and are still carri...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AND KINGS SHALL BE THY NURSING FATHERS - Margin, ‘Nourishers.’ That is, they would patronize the church of God; they would protect it by their laws, and foster it by their influence and become the per...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. THE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH, HIS SUFFERING AND HIS GLORY (49-57) CHAPTER 49 The Servant of Jehovah and His Mission 1. _The servant speaks of himself (Isaiah 49:1)_ 2. _He complains of failure (Isaiah...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ISAIAH 49:22 TO ISAIAH 50:3. THE PROMISES TO ZION ELABORATED AND CONFIRMED. At a sign from Yahweh the nations shall with solicitous care bring back the exiles to Zion. Kings and queens shall tend them...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    QUEENS. princesses. LICK UP, &C. Denoting subjection and submission, as in Genesis 3:14. Compare Psalms 72:9 and Micah 7:17. THOU SHALT KNOW. Ref to Pentateuch ...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 953 PROMISED INCREASE OF THE CHURCH Isaiah 49:18. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the Lord, Thou shall s...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THY CHILDREN SHALL MAKE HASTE— General promises comfort the afflicted less than particular ones: the prophet therefore proceeds to these, which are drawn from the future benefits to be conferred by Go...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    d. DELIVERED SOCIETY TEXT: Isaiah 49:22-26 22 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my ensign to the peoples; and they shall bring thy sons in their...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Foreign nations will now have a very different opinion about God’s people. And God’s people themselves will realise that the *Lord himself has brought it all about. Only he could have done it. THE *L...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISAIAH: GOD CONTROLS THE NATIONS GOD’S SPECIAL SERVANT ISAIAH CHAPTER S 49 TO 57 _NORMAN HILLYER_ CHAPTER 49 ‘MY SPECIAL SERVANT’ In the Book of Isaiah, the meaning of ‘my (that is, the *Lord’s...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    KINGS SHALL BE THY NURSING FATHERS... — As a rule kings gave their children to be brought up by their nobles (2 Kings 10:5). Zion should have kings themselves and their queens to rear her children. Th...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ הָי֨וּ מְלָכִ֜ים אֹֽמְנַ֗יִךְ וְ שָׂרֹֽותֵיהֶם֙...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XXI DOUBTS IN THE WAY Isaiah 49:1 - Isaiah 52:12 Chapter S 49-53 are, as we have seen, a series of more or less closely joined passages, in which the prophet, having already made the politic...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE LORD CANNOT FORGET HIS OWN Isaiah 49:14-26 These assurances were given to the chosen race on the eve of their return from Babylon. They were timid and reluctant to quit the familiar scenes of the...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    We now commence the section in which the Prince of Peace is most clearly seen. He is revealed first as sustained through suffering (Chapter s 49-53), and then as singing in triumph (Chapter s 54-57)....

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And kings (b) shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow to thee with [their] face toward the earth, and lick up the (c) dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know t...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Nurses. The Persian kings favoured the captives. The greatest monarchs bow before the prelates of the Church, (Menochius) and kiss the Pope's toe. They venerate relics, (Haydock) and greatly enrich t...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Reader! while God's mercies to the poor Gentile church are thus repeatedly brought to view, do not overlook the sweetness and fulness of them, as they respect yourself. Personal interest gives a relis...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    23._And kings shall be thy nursing fathers. _After having spoken of the obedience of the Gentiles, he shews that this relates not to the common people only, but to “kings” also. He compares “kings” to...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The Messiah is brought in, for it is He who delivers. But it is a question apart, so to say. The subject of Christ, and of the people's guilt with respect to Him, begins with chapter 49, which, with t...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND KINGS SHALL BE THY NURSING FATHERS, AND THEIR QUEENS THY NURSING MOTHERS,.... Who shall show favour and respect to the church and people of God, grant them liberty, and protect and defend them in...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with [their] face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Isa. 49:23. "And kings," etc. - _i.e._, to nurse thy children, thy sons and daughters (spoken of in the foregoing verse), that the Gentiles shall bring in their arms, and upon their shoulders. It is n...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles_ I will call them to me; _and set up my standard to the people_ As generals do, to gather their forces together. _And they shall bring thy sons_ Those who shall...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, protecting and nurturing the Church, AND THEIR QUEENS THY NURSING MOTHERS, fostering the cause of the believers in every conceivable manner; THEY SHALL BOW DOWN...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The Glorification of Zion by Jehovah's Servant...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    NURSING FATHERS: _ Heb._ nourishers QUEENS: _ Heb._ Princesses...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    18-23 Zion is addressed as an afflicted widow, bereaved of her children. Numbers flock to her, and she is assured that they come to be a comfort to her. There are times when the church is desolate an...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    KINGS SHALL BE THY NURSING FATHERS, AND THEIR QUEENS THY NURSING MOTHERS; kings and queens shall have a sincere affection and tender regard unto thee and thy children, which was in some sort fulfilled...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Isaiah 49:23 Kings H4428 fathers H539 (H8802) queens H8282 mothers H3243 (H8688) down H7812 (H8691) faces...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE DESPAIR OF THE PEOPLE AND THEIR FINAL HOPE (ISAIAH 49:14). The picture now reverts. Yahweh's call to them was to be His Servant, but instead they are sitting moaning on the ground. Here the pictur...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Isaiah 49:13. _Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains; for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted._ When God blesses hi...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Isaiah 49:1. _Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken, ye people from, far; The LORD hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Isaiah 49:1. _Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; the Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Israel's coming Redeemer. Preservation and restoration of Israel and judgment on oppressors. CHARACTERS: God, Christ. CONCLUSION: God, of old, promised a Redeemer to His people who would al...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Isaiah 49:1. _Listen, oh isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people from far._ The Hebrews reckoned among the isles, not only those of Greece, but the gentile nations generally, who are represented as wai...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And kings shall be thy nursing fathers_ PRINCES AND RULERS SHOULD PROMOTE THE WILL OF GOD I. PRINCES, OR RULERS, AS SUCH, ARE THE POSITIVE SERVANTS OF GOD, AND THEREFORE ARE BOUND TO PROMOTE, ABOVE...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Lift up thine eyes round about--_ PROMISES FOR THE CHURCH I. THE PROMISED INCREASE OF THE CHURCH. 1. In number. 2. In honour. 3. In triumph. II. THE ENCOURAGEMENT IT AFFORDS US FOR MISSIONARY E...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _They shall not hunger nor thirst_ PROMISE OF CHRIST TO HIS PEOPLE The people of God are represented as a flock of sheep travelling under the care of their good shepherd, in the heat of summer, thro...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ISAIAH—NOTE ON ISAIAH 49:22 God moves history for the benefit of his people (see Isaiah 45:14; Isaiah 60:10).

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    THE PROMISED INCREASE OF THE CHURCH Isaiah 49:18. _Lift up thine eyes round about, &c._ Two things are here promised, which were to be in part accomplished in the reviving of the Jewish church, afte...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    SECTION III. THE MISSION OF THE SERVANT OF THE LORD (CH. 49-53). EXPOSITION The connection of the present section is especially with Isaiah 42:1, where the mission of the Servant of Jehovah was f

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now in chapter 49, we have a fabulous prophecy of Jesus Christ in the first seven verses as God speaks of the Redeemer that He is sending. Listen, O coasts, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far;...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Peter 2:6; Esther 10:3; Ezra 1:2; Ezra 6:7; Ezra 7:11;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Lick the dust — They shall highly reverence and honour thee. These expressions are borrowed from the practice of the eastern people, who bowed so low as to touch the ground. Ashamed — Their expectatio...

Continues after advertising