CHAPTER XLII _The prophet sets forth the meekness of Messiah's character, and_ _the extent and blessings of his kingdom, particularly among the_ _Gentiles_, 1-9. _In consequence of this he calls on the whole creation to join_ _him in one song of praise to God_, 10-12. _After which he seems aga... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:4. _HE SHALL NOT FAIL NOR BE DISCOURAGED_ - "His force shall not be abated nor broken"] Rabbi Meir ita citat locum istum, ut post ירוץ _yaruts_, addat כוחו _cocho, robur ejus_, quod hodie non comparet in textu Hebraeo, sed addendum videtur, ut sensus fiat planior. "Rabbi Meir cites... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:6. _A COVENANT OF THE PEOPLE _- "A covenant to the people"] For עם _am_, two MSS. of _Dr. Kennicott's_, and of my own, read עולם _olam_, the covenant _of the age to come_, or _the everlasting_ covenant; which seems to give a clearer and better sense. But I think the word ברית _berith... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:7. _TO OPEN THE BLIND EYES_] In this verse the prophet seems to set forth the spiritual redemption, under images borrowed from the temporal deliverance. _OUT OF THE PRISON HOUSE _- "And from the dungeon."] The _Septuagint,_ _Syriac_, and four MSS., one ancient, add the conjunction ו... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:8. _I AM THE LORD_] אני יהוה _ani Yehovah_. This is the famous tetragrammaton, or name of _four letters_, which we write _Jehovah, Yehovah, Yehveh, Yeveh, Jhuh, Javah_, c. The letters are Y H U H. The Jews never pronounce it, and the true pronunciation is utterly unknown. _THAT IS M... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:10. _YE THAT GO DOWN TO THE SEA_] This seems not to belong to this place; it does not well consist with what follows, "and the fulness thereof." They that go down upon the sea means navigators, sailors, traders, such as do business in great waters; an idea much too confined for the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:11. _LET THE WILDERNESS_] The most uncultivated countries, and the most rude and uncivilized people, shall confess and celebrate with thanksgiving the blessing of the knowledge of God graciously imparted to them. By the _desert_ is meant Arabia Deserta; by the _rocky country_, Arabi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:14. _I HAVE BEEN STILL_ - "Shall I keep silence for ever"] After מעולם _meolam_, in the copy which the _Septuagint_ had before them, followed the word הלעולם, _heleolam_, εσιωπησα απ' αιωνος· Μη και αει σιωπησομαι· according to MSS. _Pachom_. and I. D. II. and Edit. _Complut_., which... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:15. _I WILL MAKE THE RIVERS ISLANDS _- "I will make the rivers dry deserts"] Instead of איים _iyim, islands_, read ציים _tsiim;_ a very probable conjecture of _Houbigant_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:16. _IN PATHS_] The _Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate_, and nine MSS., (two ancient,) read ובנתיבות _ubenotiboth_. _WILL I DO UNTO THEM_] עשיתם _asitem_. This word, so written as it is in the text, means "thou wilt do," in the second person. The Masoretes have indeed pointed it for the f... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:19. _AS MY MESSENGER THAT I SENT_ - "As he to whom I have sent my messengers"] כמלכי אשלח _kemalachey eshlach_, ut ad quem nuncios meos misi. The _Vulgate_ and _Chaldee_ are almost the only interpreters who render it rightly, in consistence with the rest of the sentence, and in perfe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:20. _SEEING MANY THINGS_ - "Thou hast seen indeed"] The text has ראית רבית _raith rabith_, which the Masoretes in the marginal Keri have corrected to ראות רבות _reoth rabboth_; as indeed _one_ _hundred and seven_ MSS., and _five_ editions, now have it in the text. This was probably... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:21. _HE WILL MAGNIFY THE LAW _- "He hath exalted his own praise"] For תורה _torah, the law_, the _Septuagint_ read תודה _todah, praise_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:22. THEY ARE _ALL OF THEM SNARED IN HOLES _- "All their chosen youths are taken in the toils"] For הפח _hapheach_ read הופחו _huphachu_, in the plural number, hophal; as החבאו _hochbau_, which answers to it in the following member of the sentence. _Le Clerc,_ _Houbigant_. הפח huppach... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:24. _WE HAVE SINNED _- "They have sinned"] For חטאנו _chatanu_, "we have sinned," first person; the _Septuagint_ and _Chaldee_ read חטאו _chateu_, "they have sinned," in the third person.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 42:25. _THE FURY OF HIS ANGER _- "The heat of his wrath"] For חמה _chammah_, the Bodl. MS. has חמת _chammath_, in _regimine_, more regularly. _IT HATH SET HIM ON FIRE ROUND ABOUT_] So thoroughly hardened are the Jewish people, that they are represented as being in a house on fire, and... [ Continue Reading ]