CHAPTER XLV _Prophecy concerning Cyrus, the first king of the Persians._ _Every obstruction shall be removed out of his way, and the_ _treasures taken from his enemies shall be immense_, 1-3, _To whom, and on what account, Cyrus was indebted for his_ _wonderful success_, 4-6. _The prophet refu... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:2. _THE CROOKED PLACES _- "The mountains"] For הדורים _hodurim,_ _crooked places_, a word not easily accounted for in this place, the _Septuagint_ read הררים _hararim_, ταορη, _the mountains_. Two MSS. have הדרים _hadarim_, without the ו _vau_, which is hardly distinguishable from th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:3. _I WILL GAVE THEE THE TREASURES OF DARKNESS_] Sardes and Babylon, when taken by Cyrus, were the wealthiest cities in the world. Croesus, celebrated beyond all the kings of that age for his riches, gave up his treasures to Cyrus, with an exact account in writing of the whole, conta... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:7. _I FORM THE LIGHT, AND CREATE DARKNESS_] It was the great principle of the Magian religion, which prevailed in Persia in the time of Cyrus, and in which probably he was educated, that there are two supreme, co-eternal, and independent causes always acting in opposition one to the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:8. _DROP DOWN, YE HEAVENS_] The _eighty-fifth_ psalm is a very elegant ode on the same subject with this part of Isaiah's prophecies, the restoration of Judah from captivity; and is, in the most beautiful part of it, a manifest imitation of this passage of the prophet: - "Verily his... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:9. _WO UNTO HIM THAT STRIVETH WITH HIS MAKER_ - "To unto him that contendeth with the power that formed him"] The prophet answers or prevents the objections and cavils of the unbelieving Jews, disposed to murmur against God, and to arraign the wisdom and justice of his dispensations... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:11. _ASK ME OF THINGS TO COME_ - "And he that formeth the things which are to come"] I read ויוצר _veyotser_, without the ו _vau_ suffixed; from the _Septuagint_, who join it in construction with the following word, ὁ ποιησας τα επερχομενα. "Do ye question me." - תשאלוני _tishaluni... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:13. _I HAVE RAISED HIM UP_] This evidently refers to Cyrus, and to what he did for the Jews; and informs us by _whom_ he was excited to do it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:14. _THE LABOUR OF EGYPT_ - "The wealth of Egypt"] This seems to relate to the future admission of the Gentiles into the Church of God. Compare Psalms 68:32_; _Psalms 72:10; Psalms 60:6. And perhaps these particular nations may be named, by a metonymy common in all poetry, for powerf... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:15. _VERILY THOU_ ART _A GOD THAT HIDEST THYSELF_] At present, from the nations of the world. _O GOD OF ISRAEL, THE SAVIOUR_] While thou revealest thyself to the _Israelites_ and _savest_ them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:16. _THEY SHALL BE ASHAMED_ - "They are ashamed"] The reader cannot but observe the sudden transition from the solemn adoration of the secret and mysterious nature of God's counsels in regard to his people, to the spirited denunciation of the confusion of idolaters, and the final de... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:18. _HE FORMED IT TO BE INHABITED _- "For he formed it to be inhabited"] An ancient MS. has כי _ki_ before לשבת _lashebeth_; and so the ancient Versions.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:19. _I HAVE NOT SPOKEN IN SECRET, IN A DARK PLACE OF THE_ _EARTH_] In opposition to the manner in which the heathen oracles gave their answers, which were generally delivered from some deep and obscure cavern. Such was the seat of the Cumean Sybil: - Excisum Euboicae latus ingens ru... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:21. _BRING_ THEM _NEAR; YEA, LET THEM TAKE COUNSEL TOGETHER_] For יועצו _yoatsu_ or _yivvaatsu, let them consult_, the _Septuagint_ read ידעו _yedau, let them know_: but an ancient MS. has יועדו _yoedu, let them come together by appointment_; which may probably be the true reading.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:22. _LOOK UNTO ME, AND BE YE SAVED, C._] This verse and the following contain a plain prediction of the universal spread of the knowledge of God through Christ and so the _Targum_ appears to have understood it; see Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10. The reading of the _Targum_ is remark... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:23. _I HAVE SWORN BY MYSELF_] במימרי _bemeymri, by my WORD_: and _the word_ - פתגם pithyam, or _saying_, to distinguish it from the _personal substantial WORD meymra_, mentioned before. See the _Targum_. _THE WORD IS GONE OUT OF MY MOUTH_ - "Truth is gone forth from my mouth; the wo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Isaiah 45:24. _SURELY, SHALL_ ONE _SAY, IN THE LORD HAVE I_ _RIGHTEOUSNESS AND STRENGTH_ - "Saying, Only to JEHOVAH belongeth salvation and power"] A MS. omits לי _li, unto me_; and instead of לי אמר _li amar, he said_ or _shall say unto me_, the _Septuagint_ read, in the copy which they used,... [ Continue Reading ]