The infinite wisdom] ISAIAH. [and power of God. the LORD, or being his counsellor hath nothing; he maketh the judges of the taught him? earth as vanity. 14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. 17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. 18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? 19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. 20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. 21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: 23 That bringeth the princes to 24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. 25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. 27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? 28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But they that wait upon the LORD, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint. (N) EXPOSITION. CHAP. XL. (N) Predictions of Judah's return from Captivity and of the coming of Messiah. - "The course of Prophecies which follow from hence to the end of the book, and which, taken together, constitute the most NOTES-Chap. XL. Con. - Marg. "Made Ver. 13. Hath instructed him him to understand." Ver. 15. As a very little thing-Lowth," An atom." Ver. 19. Melteth- that is, casteth. And casteth silver chains-that the heathen chained their gods, see Orient. Lit. No. 931. Ver. 20. So impoverished, &c.—Heb. "He that is poor of oblation." Ver. 22. As a curtain-Sce Ps. civ. 2. Ver. 24. They shall wither.-Compare ver. 7. Ver. 26. By-Lowth, "Through."- Not one faileth-that is, to appear. So Lowth. Ver. 27. My judgment passed over-Lowth, "My cause passeth unregarded." Ver. 29. He encreaseth Heb. "Multiplieth strength." Ver. 31. Renew their strength-Heb. " Change." It was the general opinion of the ancients, that eagles moulted in old age. See Lowth, and our Note on Ps. ciii. 5. God's expostulation] CHAP. XLI. CHAP. XLI. KEEP silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment. 2 Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven = stubble to his bow. [with his people. 3 He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet. 4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he. 5 The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. 6 They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. EXPOSITION. Immediately a harbinger is introduced, giving orders (as is usual in the march of Easteru monarchs) to remove every obstruction, and to prepare the way for their return to their own land. The same words, however, in a higher sense, relate to the opening of the Messiah's kingdom by the preaching of John the Baptist. (Matt. iii. 3, 4.) Accordingly, this subject, coming once in view, is principally attended to in the sequel. Of this the Prophet gives us sufficient notice, by introducing (ver. 6) a voice commanding another proclamation, which calls off our attention from all temporary fading things to the spiritual and eternal things of the Gospel ; (see 2 Pet. i. 24, 25.) and to the character of the great Deliverer, "Behold your God!" elegant part of the sacred writings of the Old Testament, interspersed also with many passages of the highest sublimity, was probably delivered in the later part of the reign of Hezekiah. [To him] the Prophet had delivered a very explicit declaration of the impending dissolution of the kingdom, and of the captivity of the royal house of David, and of the people, under the kings of Babylon. As the subject of his subsequent prophecies was to be chiefly of the consolatory kind, he opens them with giving a promise of the restoration of the kingdom, and the return of the people from that captivity, by the merciful interposition of God in their favour. But the views of the Prophet are not confined to this event, as the restoration of the royal family, and of the tribe of Judah, which would other-And, to remove every obstacle in the wise have soon become undistinguished and have been irrecoverably lost, was necessary for the fulfilling of God's promise, of establishing a more glorious and an everlasting kingdom under the Messiah; to be born of the tribe of Judah, and of the family of David. The Prophet connects these two events together, and hardly ever treats of the former, without throwing in some intimations of the latter; and, sometimes, is so fully possessed with the glories of the future more remote kingdom, that he seems to leave the more immediate subject of his commission almost out of the question." Bp. Lowth. In this chapter the Prophet opens the subject with great force and elegance; declaring God's commands to his messengers (the Prophets) to comfort his people in their captivity, and to impart to them the glad tidings that their sins were pardoned, and that deliverance was at hand. way of the prophecy, in either sense, he enlarges on the power and wisdom, of God, and concludes by showing that both are engaged in promoting the salvation of his people. "It is impossible to read this de. scription of God, the most sublime that ever was penned, without being struck with inexpressible reverence and selfabasement. The contrast between the great JEHOVAH and every thing reputed great in this world; how admirably imagined! how exquisitely finished! What atoms and inanities are they all before Him who sitteth on the circle of the immense heavens, and views the potentates of the earth in the light of grasshoppers! "those poor insects that wander over the barren heath for sustenance, spend the day in insignificant chirping, and take up their contemptible lodging at night on a blade of grass!"-Dr. J. Smith. NOTES. CHAP. XLI. Ver. 2. As the dust to his swordthat is, numerous as the dust. See chap. xvii. 13; xxx. 5. Ver. 3 Passed safely-Heb. “In peace." Ver. 5. They draw near, and came-that is, the heathen, struck with astonishment, flew to idols for protection. Ver. 6. Of good courage-Heb. "Strong." 7 So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved. 8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. 9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. 10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, 1 will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. 12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. 13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. 14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. 15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. 16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the [with his people. whirlwind shall scatter them; and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel. 17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. 18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. 19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: 20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it. 21 Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the king of Jacob. 22 Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. 23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together. 24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you. 25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon princes NOTES-Chap. XLI. Con. Ver. 7. The carpenter encouraged the goldsmith -Lowth," The carver encouraged the smith." Him that smote-Lowth, "Smiteth."-Saying, it is ready, &c.-Marg. " Saying of the soder, It is good." So Lowth. Ver. 11. They that strive with thee-Heb. "The men of thy strife." So next verse, "Men of thy contention, of thy war." Ver. 14. Men-Lowth, " Mortals" of Israel. Ver. 15. Having teeth Heb. " Mouths," i. e. jagged as a saw. On Hebrew threshing, see Note on chap. xxviii. ver. 27, 28. Ver. 19. The shittch tree-Lowth, "The acacia." Ver. 21. Your strong reasons. This last word seems improperly supplied. Lowth reads, "Your mighty powers; but, with submission, we should rather supply" statements;" we conceive the language to be judicial, and the idols (see ver. 23.) are challenged to state their cause (or controversy, Jer. xxv. 31.) in the strongest terms. Ver. 22. Consider them - Heb. "Set our heart upon them." Ver. 24. Ye are of nothing.... of noughtLowth, "Less than nothing... less than nought" A prophecy] CHAP. XLII. [of the Messiah. zas upon mortar, and as the potter soul delighteth; I have put my spirit treadeth clay. 26 Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words. 27 The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them and I will give. to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings. 28 For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. 29 Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion. (0) CHAP. XLII. BEHOLD my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my : upon him he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judg ment unto truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he hath set judgment in the earth and the isles shall wait for his law. 5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: 6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a EXPOSITION. He CHAP. XLI. (0) God's expostulation with his people on their ingratitude.-The Prophet having intimated the deliverance from Babylon, and the still greater redemption couched under it, resumes the subject, foretells the success of the deliverer that should release them from their captivity, and the ineffectual attempts of the nations and their idols to impede his progress. then encourages the seed of Abraham not to fear; for that God would subdue all their enemies under them, and furnish every thing necessary to refresh and comfort them in their passage homewards through the desert. These he exhibits, under the figures of fountains and rivers, and the cultivation of the barren deserts. The Prophet then takes occasion to extol the prescience of God, in his knowledge of future events; and justly challenges the idols of the heathens to give the like proof of their pretended divinity. But they are all vanity, and accursed are they that choose or serve them. The chief question in this chapter regards "the righteous person from the east," concerning whom there are two principal opinious. Bp. Louth, following the Chaldee and the great stream of Jewish interpreters, understands it of Abraham; but with all our reverence for the learned prelate, we confess ourselves more inclined to the interpretation which explains it of Cyrus, who is expressly named by the Prophet, chap. xliv. and xlv.; in the last verse of the former being called the Lord's Shepherd," and in the first of the latter "the Lord's anointed," and before whom the Lord had promised to break his enemies in pieces. The advocates of both these interpretations, however, give the text a reference ultimately to the Messiah, in whom centre all the rays of typical and prophetic glory. The latter interpretation (as referring to Cyrus) is sanctioned also by names of great eminence, among whom we shall only mention Mr. Gataker, Dr. J. Smith, and Dr. Boothroyd. CHAP. XLII. Ver. 1. Judgment to the Gentiles -Lowth," Nat ons." See Matt. xii. 20. Ver. 2. He shalt not cry nor lift up-Lowth, "Nor raise a clamour." The meaning evidently is, we conceive, that he should not raise a sedifion, or attempt to excite tumult, in which respect our SEviour was eminently distinguished from all the false messians of whom we read. Ver. 4. Discouraged-Heb. " Broken." ISAIAH. A prophecy] covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. 8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. 9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare before they spring forth I tell you of them. 10 Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. 11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. 12 Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands. 13 The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. 14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once. 15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools. [of the Messiah. 16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light be fore them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. 17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods. 18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. 19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD's servant? 20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not. 21 The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will mag-e nify the law, and make it honourable. 22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses; they are for a prey and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. 23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come ? 24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. 25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the NOTES-Chap. XLII. Con. Ver. 6. Have called thee. This is addressed expressly to Messiah; compare ch. xlix. 8; Lukeii.32. Ver. 7. To open the blind eyes.-See ch. xxxv. 5. -xi. 1; Luke iv. 18. Ver. 10. All that is therein-Heb. "The fulness thereof." Ver. 11. Let the wilderness-Arab'a Deserta: the rock, Arabia Pretræa: of the Arabs, some dwelt in tents only; others in the towns and villages, but wandering from one to another. Lowth. Ver. 13. He shall cry, yea roar.-This alludes to the shout of war; see Josh. vi. 5, 10, 16. Ver. 14. I will destroy and devour at once-Heb. "Swallow up." Lowth refers this, as the clause preceding, to a woman in travail; "breaking short, and drawing in my breath with violence;" or, as Boothroyd, at once drawing in my breath." Ver. 15. Dry up all their herbs-Lowth, "Barn up all the grass "I will make the rivers istandsLowth "Deserts." Ver. 16. Crooked things straight-Lowth, "The rugged ways smooth." Ver. 19. Deaf as my messenger - Lowth, "Desf as he to whom I sent my messengers?"....As he that is perfect-Lowth, "Perfectly instructed." Ver. 20 Seeing many things-Boothroyd, "Than verily seest, but wilt not regard. Thine ears are open, yet wilt thou not hear. Lowth to the same effect. Ver. 22. They are all-Marg. "All their young men are snared," &c. To the same effect, Lowth ....For a spoil - Heb. "A treading;" i. e. to be trodden under foot. |