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. Ver. 1. _Keep silence before me, O islands,_] _i.e., _ O islanders (so the Hebrews called all that were beyond sea to them), with whom God, b... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 2. _Who raised up the righteous man from the east?_] Who but myself? Which of your... [ Continue Reading ]
He pursued them, [and] passed safely; [even] by the way [that] he had not gone with his feet. Ver. 3. _He pursued them, and passed in safety._] He got an unbloody victory over the four kings, not losing a man of all those unexpert soldiers. This was a great mercy, if not a miracle. War is usually _... [ Continue Reading ]
Who hath wrought and done [it], calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I [am] he. Ver. 4. _Who hath wrought and done it?_] Here the Gentiles should have answered for God, which because they did not, but were senselessly silent, therefore he answereth b... [ Continue Reading ]
The isles saw [it], and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. Ver. 5. _The isles saw it._] The heathens were convinced by the former arguments, yet not converted; they were afraid, and yet they came together to confirm themselves mutually in their abominable idolatries. _... [ Continue Reading ]
They helped every one his neighbour; and [every one] said to his brother, Be of good courage. Ver. 6. _They helped every one his neighbour._] Thus those desperate idolaters did from the first. Eusebius _a_ telleth us, that in the seventh year of Abraham, Ninus, the founder of Nineveh, set up an ima... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 7. _So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith._] Because no small gain was brou... [ Continue Reading ]
But thou, Israel, [art] my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Ver. 8. _But thou, Israel, art my servant._] And it was for thy sake, and for thy settlement, that I have dealt so long with those odious idolaters, whom else I would not once look toward nor commune with,... [ Continue Reading ]
Isaiah 41:9 [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. Ver. 9. _Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,_] _sc., _ In the loins of Abraham thy proge... [ Continue Reading ]
Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Ver. 10. _Fear thou not, for I am with thee._] _Cordialibus, ut ita dicam, verbls, Deus hoc eloquitur,_ - As long... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 11. _Behold, all that were incensed against thee._] These and the following precious promises the Jews misapply to the coming and kingdom of... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 12. _Even them that contended with thee._] Heb., The men of thy contention - thy contendents, such as this eristical age hath more than... [ Continue Reading ]
For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Ver. 13. _For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand._] As a tender father taketh his dear child by the hand, in dirty or dangerous ways especially, lifting him over; so the saints are said to sit do... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 14. _Fear not._] This is oft inculcated, for better confirmation and comfort. Our Saviour may seem to have hence his "Fear not little flock." It is no easy matter to c... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 15. _I will make thee a new sharp thrashing instrument having teeth._] _Traham, aut tribulam in omnem partem probe dentatam._ Such... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, [and] shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel. Ver. 16. _Thou shalt fan them._] But find nothing in them of any solidity. The heart of the wicked is little worth. _ And... [ Continue Reading ]
Isaiah 41:17 [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. Ver. 17. _When the poor._] When such as are "poor in spirit," sensible of their utter indigence, shall blessedly hunge... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 18. _I will open rivers in high places._] Rather work miracles, as once in the wilderness, Exo 17:6-7 than my poor people shall want nece... [ Continue Reading ]
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: Ver. 19. _I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, &c._] That is, saith Lyra, I will give variety of graces to my people.... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 20. _That they may see, and know, and consider._] Heb., Lay. Lay it upon their heart, which natural men are very hardly drawn to do. The b... [ Continue Reading ]
Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong [reasons], saith the King of Jacob. Ver. 21. _Produce your cause, saith the Lord._] He had dealt with the heathens, and convinced them; now have at their gods: and their best proofs are called for. _ Bring forth your strong reasons._] Heb... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 22. _Let them bring forth, and show what shall happen._] By such arguments as these, Cleant... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 23. _Show the things that are to come._] This first argument is much insisted on. God alone can properly predict; and _Testimonium div... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, ye [are] of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination [is he that] chooseth you. Ver. 24. _Behold, ye are of nothing._] Hence Paul took that assertion of his; 1Co 8:4 "we know that an idol is nothing in the world." For the matter of it, it is true, wood is wood, and stone is stone; b... [ Continue Reading ]
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 as [upon] morter, and as the potter treadeth clay. Ver. 25. _I have raised up one from the north._] Here God beginneth to prove that he can do both those t... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 26. _Who hath declared?_] Who, besides myself, ever did or could pre... [ Continue Reading ]
The first [shall say] to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings. Ver. 27. _The first shall say to Zion._] Or, I first said to Zion. I first brought her that good tidings by my prophets.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 28. _For I beheld, and there was no man._] None to say anything for these dumb idols, why I should not pass a definitive sentence against them. It is, therefor... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, they [are] all vanity; their works [are] nothing: their molten images [are] wind and confusion. Ver. 29. _Behold they are all vanity._] Jeremiah 10:3; Jeremiah 10:15 . _ Their works are nothing._] See Isaiah 41:24 . _ Are wind and confusion._] Or, Emptiness; Heb., _Tohu._ Nothing in thems... [ Continue Reading ]