Isaías 49:24

from the mighty from a hero. the lawful captive lit. the captivity (captives) of a righteous one. This is the only sense that the phrase will properly bear; all the attempts to construe it otherwise are futile. Many authorities, however, adopt the reading of the Pesh. and Vulg. (עריץ instead of צדיק, as Isaías 49:25), and render: "captives of a terrible one.

" (1) The verse has generally been considered to be a new utterance of despair on the part of the Israelites, "Can the tyrant be made to disgorge his prey?" (Cheyne), to which Isaías 49:25 gives an affirmative answer. On this view (which is certainly the one that first suggests itself) the substitution of -ârîc̣(terrible) for çaddîq(righteous) seems imperative, since the latter expression could not possibly be applied to the Chaldæans.

To suppose that by the "hero" and the "righteous one" Cyrus is meant is at variance with the whole tenor of the prophecy (Isaías 41:25; Isaías 44:28; Isaías 45:1 ff.

). (2) Dillmann on the other hand holds that the reference in Isaías 49:24 is to Jehovah, who Himself asks if any power can deprive Him of His lawful captives, the Israelites. The answer to be supplied is, "No"; and this is confirmed by Isaías 49:25: "Foreven the captives of a (human) hero maybe delivered, yet will I (the Almighty) contend with" &c.

This is not altogether natural; the antithesis of the divinehero in Isaías 49:24 and a humanhero in Isaías 49:25 being indicated by nothing in the words. (3) A simpler view is that question and answer are related as in Isaías 49:14; the question stating a supposition in the highest degree improbable (though still conceivable), and the answer conceding the possibility in order the more strongly to assert that the idea cannot be entertained with regard to Jehovah.

The sense might be paraphrased as follows: "Can the captives of a mighty man be rescued from his grasp? Yes, the captives of the mighty maybe delivered, but Iwill (victoriously) maintain thy cause against thy enemies" &c. (so, apparently, Duhm). In this case also it is better to read -ârîç, which may be used in a neutral sense as in Jeremias 20:11 (of Jehovah).

The image of Israel as the prey of Jehovah has a certain resemblance to that of the lion and his prey in ch. Isaías 31:4.