It has already been observed (the note at Isaiah 43:28), that the commencement of this chapter is properly a continuation and completion of the argument commenced there; and that the division should have been made at what is now the close of the fifth vcrsc of this chapter. This chapter may be divid... [ Continue Reading ]
YET NOW HEAR - This should be read in immediate connection with the previous chapter. ‘Notwithstanding you have sinned, yet now hear the gracious promise which is made in regard to your deliverance.’... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD THAT MADE THEE - (See the note at Isaiah 43:1). AND FORMED THEE FROM THE WOMB - This is equivalent to the declaration that he was their Maker, or Creator. It means, that from the very beginning of their history as a people, he had formed and moulded all their institutions, and di... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I WILL POUR WATER - Floods, rivers, streams, and waters, are often used in the Scriptures, and especially in Isaiah, to denote plenteous divine blessings, particularly the abundant influences of the Holy Spirit (see the note at Isaiah 35:6). That it here refers to the Holy Spirit and his influen... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SHALL SPRING UP - The idea is, that as plants and trees planted by water-courses, and in well-watered fields, grow and flourish, so should their children grow in virtue, hope, piety, and zeal. AS AMONG THE GRASS - They shall spring up and flourish as the grass does when abundantly watered... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE SHALL SAY - It shall be common to say this, or a profession of religion shall be common. The various expressions in this verse mean substantially the same thing - that there should prevail among the people a disposition to make a profession of attachment to Yahweh in every proper public manner.... [ Continue Reading ]
THUS SAITH THE LORD - This commences, as I suppose (see Analysis), the argument to prove that Yahweh is the only true God, and that the idols were vanity. The object is, to show to the Jews, that he who had made to them such promises of protection and deliverance was able to perform what he had pled... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHO, AS I - This verse contains an argument to prove that he is God. In proof of this, he appeals to the fact that he alone can predict future events, and certainly declare the order, and the time in which they will come to pass (see the notes at Isaiah 41:21; Isaiah 44:9). SHALL CALL - That is... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR YE NOT, NEITHER BE AFRAID - (see the notes at Isaiah 41:10). The word rendered here ‘be afraid,’ occurs nowhere else in the Bible. There can be no doubt, however, in regard to its meaning. The Septuagint renders it, Μηδέ πλανᾶσθε _Mēde_ _planasthe_ - ‘Neither be deceived.’ All the other anci... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT MAKE A GRAVEN IMAGE - A graven image is one that is cut, or sculptured out of wood or stone, in contradistinction from one that is molten, which is made by being cast. Here it is used to denote an image, or an idol-god in general. God had asserted in the previous verses his own divinity, a... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO HATH FORMED A GOD - The Septuagint reads this verse in connection with the close of the previous verse, ‘But they shall be ashamed who make a god, and all who sculpture unprofitable things.’ This interpretation also, Lowth, by a change in the Hebrew text on the authority of a manuscript in the B... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, ALL HIS FELLOWS - All that are joined in making, and in worshipping it, are regarded as the fellows, or the companions (חברין _chăbērâyn_) of the idol-god (see Hosea 4:17 - ‘Ephraim is joined to idols’). They and the idols constitute one company or fellowship, intimately allied to each ot... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SMITH WITH THE TONGS - The prophet proceeds here to show the folly and absurdity of idolatry; and in order to this he goes into an extended statement Isaiah 44:12 of the manner in which idols were usually made. Lowth remarks, ‘The sacred writers are generally large and eloquent on the subject of... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CARPENTER - The axe is made Isaiah 44:12, and the carpenter now proceeds to the construction of the god. STRETCHETH OUT HIS RULE - For the purpose of laying out his work, or measuring it. The word rendered here ‘rule,’ however (קו _qâv_), means properly “a line”; and should be so rendered here... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HEWETH HIM DOWN CEDARS - In the previous verses, the prophet had described the formation of an axe with which the work was to be done Isaiah 44:12, and the laying out, and carving of the idol Isaiah 44:13. In this verse he proceeds to describe the material of which the idol was made, and the diff... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALL IT BE FOR A MAN TO BURN - It will afford materials for a fire. The design of this verse and the following is, to ridicule the idea of a man’s using parts of the same tree to make a fire to cook his victuals, to warm himself, and to shape a god. Nothing could be more stupid than the conduc... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH PART THEREOF HE EATETH FLESH - That is, he prepares flesh to eat, or prepares his food. HE ROASTETH ROAST - He roasts meat.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN NOR UNDERSTOOD - They are stupid, ignorant, and blind. Nothing could more strikingly show their ignorance and stupidity than this idol worship. HE HATH SHUT THEIR EYES - God hath closed their eyes. Margin, ‘Daubed.’ The word used here, טה _ṭah_ from טוה _ṭûah_ denotes properly... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NONE CONSIDERETH IN HIS HEART - Margin, ‘Setteth to.’ He does not place the subject near his heart or mind; he does not think of it. A similar phrase occurs in Isaiah 46:8 : ‘Bring it again to mind.’ It is a phrase drawn from the act of placing an object near us, in order to examine it closely;... [ Continue Reading ]
HE FEEDETH ON ASHES - There have been various interpretations of this. Jerome renders it, ‘A part of it is ashes;’ the Chaldee, ‘Lo! half of the god is reduced to ashes;’ the Septuagint, ‘Know thou that their heart is ashes.’ The word rendered here ‘feedeth’ (רעה _ro‛eh_) means properly “to feed, gr... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER THESE - Remember these things which are now said about the folly of idolatry, and the vanity of worshipping idols. The object of the argument is, to turn their attention to God, and to lead them to put their trust in him. THOU ART MY SERVANT - (See the notes at Isaiah 42:19; Isaiah 43:1).... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE BLOTTED OUT - The word used here (מחח _mâchâh_), means properly “to wipe away,” and is often applied to sins, as if the account was wiped off, or as we express it, blotted out (Psalms 51:3, Psalms 51:11; see the note at Isaiah 43:25). The phrase, ‘to blot out sins like a cloud,’ however, is... [ Continue Reading ]
SING, O YE HEAVENS - (see Isaiah 42:10). It is common in the sacred writings to call on the heavens, the earth, and all created things, to join in the praise of God on any great and glorious event (see Psalms 96:1, Psalms 96:11; Psalms 148:1) The occasion of the joy here was the fact that God had re... [ Continue Reading ]
THY REDEEMER - (See the note at Isaiah 43:1). AND HE THAT FORMED THEE FROM THEE WOMB - (See the note at Isaiah 44:2). THAT STRETCHETH FORTH THE HEAVENS - (See the note at Isaiah 40:22). THAT SPREADETH ABROAD THE EARTH - Representing the earth, as is often done in the Scriptures, as a plain. God he... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT FRUSTRATETH - Hebrew, ‘Breaking:’ that is, destroying, rendering vain. The idea is, that that which necromancers and diviners relied on as certain demonstration that what they predicted would be fulfilled, God makes vain and inefficacious. The event which they predicted did not follow, and all... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT CONFIRMETH THE WORD OF HIS SERVANT - Probably the word ‘servant’ here is to be taken in a collective sense, as referring to the prophets in general who had foretold the return of the Jews to their own land, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Or it may be, that the prophet refers more particularly... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT SAITH TO THE DEEP, BE DRY - Lowth supposes, that this refers to the fact that Cyrus took Babylon by diverting from their course the waters of the river Euphrates, and thus leaving the bed of the river dry, so that he could march his army under the walls of the city (see the notes at Isaiah 13;... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT SAITH OF CYRUS - This is the first time in which Cyrus is expressly named by Isaiah, though he is often referred to. He is mentioned by him only in one other place expressly by name Isaiah 45:1. He is several times mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament 2 Chronicles 26:22; Ezra 1:1, Ezra 1:7;... [ Continue Reading ]