XLIII. (1) BUT NOW... — The outpouring of love that follows is contrasted with the wrath of the preceding verse. THE LORD THAT CREATED THEE. — The title implies something more than “the Maker of heaven and earth.” Jehovah has created Israel as specially answering, as other created things did, to a... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU PASSEST THROUGH THE WATERS... — The two contrasted forms of elemental perils are used, as elsewhere, proverbially for all forms of danger (Psalms 66:12).... [ Continue Reading ]
I GAVE EGYPT FOR THY RANSOM... — Speaking after the manner of men, the prophet paints Jehovah as surrendering Egypt and other kingdoms to the arms of Cyrus, as if they were a price paid to him for liberating the Jews of Babylon. Ethiopia (Heb., _Cûsh_) may be taken of either the Asiatic or African p... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM THE EAST... — Even from Isaiah’s stand-point, the dispersion of Israel might well be contemplated in all this wide extent. The Ten Tribes were already carried off to the cities of the Medes (2 Kings 17:6). The Babylonian exile had its beginning under Esar-haddon (2 Chronicles 33:11); others may... [ Continue Reading ]
BRING MY SONS... — The words imply an escort of honour, given by the heathen nations to the returning exiles.... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY ONE THAT IS CALLED BY MY NAME — _i.e.,_ who is marked as belonging to the people that is chosen as the Lord’s servant... [ Continue Reading ]
BRING FORTH THE BLIND PEOPLE... — The command comes abruptly, as from a Divine voice, and is, as it were, a reversed echo of Isaiah 42:18. There Israel saw but did not observe, had eyes and yet was blind. Here the blind and deaf — _i.e.,_ the heathen, or the Israel that had fallen into heathenism —... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO AMONG THEM... — The challenge of Isaiah 41:22 is repeated. Who among their gods has foretold the “former things”? has predicted events that were then in the future, and have now come to pass?... [ Continue Reading ]
YE ARE MY WITNESSES... — These are collectively addressed as the servant of Jehovah. Their calling and election had not been cancelled, and they might yet fulfil it. They, in that restoration from exile which Isaiah had foretold, should be a living proof of the foresight granted to the prophets, and... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THERE WAS NO STRANGE GOD AMONG YOU. — Better, _and there was_ ... It was no heathen oracle or soothsayer that had foretold the restoration. Israel as a people, through its whole future history, was to be a living witness of the oneness and eternity of its God, and the eternity implies (Isaiah 4... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO SHALL LET IT? — Literally, _who shall turn it back?_ One of the numerous echoes from Job (Isaiah 9:12; Isaiah 11:10).... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE SENT TO BABYLON. — For the first time in 2 Isaiah, the place of exile is named. For “have brought down all their nobles” read, _I will bring them all down as fugitives._ The marginal “bars” represents a various reading, _defences,_ in the sense of _defenders._ THE CHALDEANS, WHOSE CRY IS IN... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH MAKETH A WAY IN THE SEA... — A distinct echo of Exodus 14:16 and Psalms 77:19. The return from Babylon is to be as a second Exodus from another house of bondage. In the one, as in the other, the “horse and his rider” are to be thrown into the sea.... [ Continue Reading ]
QUENCHED AS TOW — _i.e.,_ as the wick of a lamp going out. (See Note on Isaiah 42:3.)... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER YE NOT... — All the wonders of the great historic past of Israel were to be as nothing compared with the new manifestation of the power of Jehovah, which Isaiah sees as already dawning in the future. SHALL YE NOT KNOW IT? — Better, _Will ye not give heed to it?_ I WILL EVEN MAKE A WAY IN... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU HAST NOT CALLED UPON ME. — The startling abruptness of the complaint has led many critics to question the genuineness of these verses (22-24). Their insertion, however, by a later writer would be at least as hard to understand as their having come from the hand of the same writer as the glo... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE NOT CAUSED THEE TO SERVE... — The words practically imply the suspension of sacrifices during the exile. Jehovah had not imposed that bond service on them — had not wearied them with demanding incense when they were far away from the Temple to whose ritual it belonged.... [ Continue Reading ]
NO SWEET CANE... — Probably some species of _Amomum_ for the anointing oil (Exodus 30:23). It is distinguished from the incense, and is not one of the ingredients (Exodus 30:34). THOU HAST MADE ME TO SERVE. — The verbs of Isaiah 43:23 are repeated with the emphasis of scorn, the thought being analo... [ Continue Reading ]
I, EVEN I... — As in Isaiah 1:2; Isaiah 1:18, the analogy with which may be noted as evidence of identity of authorship, the incisive words that prove the guilt of Israel are followed by the fullest offer of pardon on repentance. And this he does “for His own sake,” to manifest the everlasting right... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT ME IN REMEMBRANCE... — The object of the verb has been differently supplied: (1) “Remind me, if thou canst, _of thy merits;_ plead in thine own defence for an acquittal;” and (2) “Remind me _of my promise to thee,_ of that electing grace which called thee to be my servant.” The former seems to f... [ Continue Reading ]
THY FIRST FATHER HATH SINNED... — The words have been interpreted: (1) of Adam; (2) of Abraham; (3) of Jacob; (4) of the ancestors of Israel collectively; (5) of this or that high priest individually. (3) fits in best. (See Isaiah 43:28.) THY TEACHERS. — Literally, _thy interpreters_ (Job 33:23), o... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE PROFANED THE PRINCES OF THE SANCTUARY. — Better, _holy princes._ The title is given to the chief priests in 1 Chronicles 24:5. In the exile their priestly functions were in abeyance. They were practically desecrated. THE CURSE. — The _cherem,_ or _ban,_ answering to the _anathema._ The state... [ Continue Reading ]