Isaiah 41:27

The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings. THE FIRST (SHALL SAY) TO ZION, BEHOLD, BEHOLD THEM: AND I WILL GIVE TO JERUSALEM ONE THAT BRINGETH GOOD TIDINGS - rather, 'I first will give to Zion and to Jerusalem the messenger of good tidings, Behold, behold them!' namely, the soldiers of Cyrus already coming for the assault of Babylon and the deliverance of the Jews, or the Jews returning from their dispersion. The Hebrew affix [mem (m)] is masculine, and requires, therefore, that "them" should refer to persons, not things. The clause "Behold ... them" is inserted in the middle of the sentence as a detached exclamation by an elegant transposition, the language being framed abruptly, as one would speak in putting vividly, as it were, before the eyes of others, some joyous event which he had just learned (L. de Dieu). (Com...

27._The first to Zion. _(149) In this verse God states more clearly that he predicts future events to the Jews, in order to encourage them to believe; because if prophecies had not their end and use, it would not in itself be of very great advantage to know future events. God therefore testifies that prophecies are intended by him to promote the faith and edification of the Church. It was necessary that this should be added to the former statements, that the people might know that those examples were exhibited, not only in order to magnify the power of God, but that all believers might reap advantage from it; for all the instances of the power and foreknowledge of God ought to be viewed by us in such a light as will enable us to know that he takes care of us, (1 Peter 5:7,) and that he does everything for promoting our salvation. _Zion _is there

21-29 There needs no more to show the folly of sin, than to bring to notice the reasons given in defence of it. There is nothing in idols worthy of regard. They are less than nothing, and worse than nothing. Let the advocates of other doctrines than that of salvation through Christ, bring their arguments. Can they tell of a cure for human depravity? Jehovah has power which cannot be withstood; this he will make appear. But the certain knowledge of the future must be only with Jehovah, who fulfils his own plans. All prophecies, except those of the Bible, have been uncertain. In the work of redemption the Lord showed himself much more than in the release of the Jews from Babylon. The good tidings the Lord will send in the gospel, is a mystery hid from ages and generations. A Deliverer is raised up for us, of nobler name and greater power than the deliverer of the captive Jews. May we be nu...

Verse Isaiah 41:27. _THE FIRST_ SHALL SAY _TO ZION, BEHOLD, BEHOLD THEM_ - "I first to Zion _gave the word_, Behold they are here"] This verse is somewhat obscure by the transposition of the parts of the sentence, and the peculiar manner in which it is divided into two parallel lines. The verb at the end of the sentence belongs to both parts; and the phrase, _Behold, they are here_! is parallel to _the messenger of glad tidings_; and stands like it, as the accusative case to the verb. The following paraphrase will explain the form and the sense of it. "I first, by my prophets, give notice of these events, saying, Behold, they are at hand! and I give to Jerusalem a messenger of glad tidings....

THE FIRST SHALL SAY TO ZION - This translation is unhappy. It does not convey any clear meaning, nor is it possible from the translation to conjecture what the word ‘first’ refers to. The correct rendering undoubtedly is, ‘I first said to Zion;’ and the sense is, ‘I, Yahweh, first gave to Zion the announcement of these things. I predicted the restoration of the Jews to their own land, and the raising up of the man who should deliver them; and I only have uttered the prophecies respecting the time and circumstances in which these events would occur.’ The Septuagint renders it, ‘I will first give notice to Zion, and I will comfort Jerusalem in the way.’ The Chaldee renders it ‘The words of consolation which the prophets have uttered respecting Zion in the beginning, lo, they are about to come to pass.’ The sense of the passage is, that no one of the idol-gods, or their prophets, had predic...

SECTION II.—RECOVERY OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD FROM THEIR SIN, AND FROM THEIR BONDAGE IN BABYLON (CH. 41-48.). EXPOSITION ISAIAH 41:1 ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DELIVERER, AND EFFECT ON THE SURROUNDING NATIONS. Isaiah returns to the standpoint of Isaiah 40:9. A deliverer of Israel is about to appear. The nat

THE FIRST SHALL SAY TO ZION, BEHOLD, BEHOLD THEM,.... Or, "I the first say to Zion"; I who am the first and the last, Isaiah 41:4 which some ancient Jewish writers d observe is the name of the Messiah, and apply the passage to him; or, I am the "first" that say these things to Zion e, BEHOLD, BEHOLD THEM; behold such and such things shall come to pass, and accordingly they have come to pass; or, "behold", the promised Messiah, whom I have long spoken of, behold, he is come; see Isaiah 42:1, and behold them, his apostles and ministers, publishing the good tidings of salvation, as follows. The Targum is, "the words of consolation which the prophets prophesied from the beginning concerning Sion, behold they come;'' they come to pass; which is such a proof of deity the id

CHAPTER 41 Jehovah's Challenge 1. _The address to the islands and the peoples (Isaiah 41:1)_ 2. _Jehovah's question, Cyrus and his ways predicted (Isaiah 41:2)_ 3. _Nations troubled on account of Cyrus (Isaiah 41:5)_ 4. _Israel as Jehovah's servant (Isaiah 41:8)_ 5. _The message of comfort and assurance of restoration (Isaiah 41:9)_ 6. _Jehovah's second challenge: He alone can declare things to come (Isaiah 41:21)_ 7. The future t

YAHWEH'S CHALLENGE TO THE GODS OF THE NATIONS. The nations are bidden to produce their case and bring forward their champions their idols (so emend strong reasons). Let the idols show that in days gone by they have foreseen the antecedents of present developments, or explain the events now happening and about to happen. They remain dumb, and Yahweh taunts them with their impotence. He has raised up Cyrus; who among them had foreseen the event? Not one; how patent, then, their nothingness! ISAIAH 41:22. LATTER END: issue. THINGS FOR TO COME: THE immediate development from the present situation. Isaiah 41:23. be dismayed: rather (_cf. mg._), open our eyes in wonder. Isaiah 41:2

THE FIRST SHALL SAY. From the first [I have said]....