Isaiah 41:1

CHAPTER XLI

The prophet, having intimated the deliverance from Babylon, and

the still greater redemption couched under it, resumes the

subject. He begins with the Divine vocation of Abraham, the

root of the Israelitish family, and his successful exploits

against the idolaters, 1-7.

He then recurs to the Babylonish captivity, and encourages the

seed of Abraham, the friend of God, not to fear, as all their

enemies would be ultimately subdued under them, 8-16;

and every thing furnished necessary to refresh and comfort them

in them passage homewards through the desert, 17-20.

The prophet then takes occasion to celebrate the prescience of

God, from his knowledge of events so very distant as instanced

in the prediction concerning the messenger of glad tidings

which should be given to Jerusalem to deliver her from all her

enemies; and challenges the idols of the heathen to produce the

like proof of their pretended divinity, 21-27.

But they are all vanity, and accursed are they that choose

them, 28, 29.

NOTES ON CHAP. XLI

Verse Isaiah 41:1. Keep silence before me, O islands - "Let the distant nations repair to me with new force of mind"] Εγκαινιζεσθε, Septuagint. For החרישו hacharishu, be silent, they certainly read in their copy החדישו hachadishu, be renewed; which is parallel and synonymous with יחלפו כח yechalephu coach, "recover their strength; " that is, their strength of mind, their powers of reason; that they may overcome those prejudices by which they have been so long held enslaved to idolatry. A MS. has הר har, upon a rasure. The same mistake seems to have been made in this word, Zephaniah 3:17. For יחריש באהבתו yacharish beahabatho, silebit in directione sua, as the Vulgate renders it; which seems not consistent with what immediately follows, exultabit super te in laude; the Septuagint and Syriac read יחדיש באהבתו yachadish beahabatho, "he shall be renewed in his love." אלי elai, to me, is wanting in one of De Rossi's MSS. and in the Syriac.