---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Isaiah 51:1. Ye that follow after righteousness — The people who, feeling the want of salvation, seek the Lord in order to be justified. The rock —"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/isaiah/51"
---

Verse [Isaiah 51:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/1). ***Ye that follow after righteousness*** — The people who, feeling the want of salvation, seek the Lord in order to be justified.
***The rock*** — Abraham.
***The hole of the pit*** — Sarah; as explained in [Isaiah 51:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/2).

Verse [Isaiah 51:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/2). ***I called him alone*** — As I have made out of one a great nation; so, although ye are brought low and minished, yet I can restore you to happiness, and greatly multiply your number.

Verse [Isaiah 51:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/4). ***My people - O my nation*** - "O ye peoples - O ye nations"] For עמי *ammi, my people*, the Bodleian MS. and another read עמים *ammim, ye peoples*; and for לאומי *leumi, my nation*, the Bodleian MS. and *eight* others, (*two* of them ancient,) and *four* of *De* *Rossi's*, read לאמים *leummim, ye nations*; and so the *Syriac* in both words. The difference is very material; for in this case the address is made not to the Jews, but to the Gentiles, as in all reason it ought to be; for this and the two following verses express the call of the Gentiles, the islands, or the distant lands on the coasts of the Mediterranean and other seas. It is also to be observed that God in no other place calls his people לאמי *leummi, my nation*. It has been before remarked that transcribers frequently omitted the final מ *mem* of nouns plural, and supplied it, for brevity's sake, and sometimes for want of room at the end of a line, by a small stroke thus /עמי; which mark, being effaced or overlooked, has been the occasion of many mistakes of this kind.
***A law shall proceed from me*** — The new law, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. *Kimchi* says, "After the war with Gog and Magog the King Messiah will teach the people to walk in the ways of the Lord."

Verse [Isaiah 51:5](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/5). ***My righteousness*****is*****near*** — The word צדק *tsedek,* *righteousness*, is used in such a great latitude of signification, for justice, truth, faithfulness, goodness, mercy, deliverance, salvation, c., that it is not easy sometimes to give the precise meaning of it without much circumlocution it means here the faithful completion of God's promises to deliver his people.

Verse [Isaiah 51:6](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/6). ***My salvation shall be for ever*** — Aben Ezra says, From this verse divines have learnt the immortality of the soul. Men shall perish as the earth does, because they are formed from it; but they who are filled with the salvation of God shall remain for ever. See *Kimchi*.

Verse [Isaiah 51:11](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/11). ***They shall obtain gladness and joy*****; and*****sorrow and**********mourning shall flee away.*** — *Nineteen* MSS. and the *two* oldest editions have ישגו *yasigu*; and *forty-six* MSS. of *Kennicott's* and *ten* of *De Rossi's*, and the same *two* editions, and agreeably to them the *Chaldee* and *Syriac*, have ונסו *venasu*; and so both words are expressed, [Isaiah 35:10](../../../kjv/isaiah/35/10), of which place this is a repetition. And from comparing both together it appears that the ו *vau* in this place is become by mistake in the present text final, *nun* of the preceding word.

Verse [Isaiah 51:13](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/13). ***Of the oppressor, as if he, c.*** — "The כ *caph* in כאשר *keasher* seems clearly to have changed its situation from the end of the preceding word to the beginning of this or rather, to have been omitted by mistake there, because it was here. That it was there the *Septuagint* show by rendering המציקך *hammetsikech* θλιβοντος, *of him that oppressed* thee. And so they render this word in both its places in this verse. The *Vulgate* also has the pronoun in the first instance; *furoris ejus qui* te *tribulabat*." Dr. Jubb. The correction seems well founded; I have not conformed the translation to it, because it makes little difference in the sense.

Verse [Isaiah 51:14](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/14). ***The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed***- "He marcheth on with speed, who cometh to set free the captive"] Cyrus, if understood of the temporal redemption from the captivity of Babylon; in the spiritual sense, the Messiah, who comes to open the prison to them that are bound.

Verse [Isaiah 51:16](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/16). ***That I may plant the heavens*** - "To stretch out the heavens"] In the present text it is לנתע *lintoa*, "*to plant* the heavens:" the phrase is certainly very obscure, and in all probability is a mistake for לנטות *lintoth*. This latter is the word used in [Isaiah 51:13](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/13) just before, in the very same sentence; and this phrase occurs very frequently in Isaiah, [Isaiah 40:22](../../../kjv/isaiah/40/22); [Isaiah 42:5](../../../kjv/isaiah/42/5); [Isaiah 44:24](../../../kjv/isaiah/44/24); [Isaiah 45:12](../../../kjv/isaiah/45/12); the former in no other place. It is also very remarkable, that in the Samaritan text, [Numbers 24:6](../../../kjv/numbers/24/6), these two words are twice changed by mistake, one for the other, in the same verse.

Verse [Isaiah 51:17](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/17). ***The cup of trembling*** — כוס התרעלה *cos hattarelah*, "the cup of mortal poison," veneni mortiferi. - MONTAN. This may also allude to the ancient custom of taking off criminals by a cup of poison. Socrates is well known to have been sentenced by the Areopagus to drink a cup of the juice of hemlock, which occasioned his death. [Hebrews 2:9](../../../kjv/hebrews/2/9), and see also Bishop Lowth's note on [Isaiah 51:21](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/21).

Verse [Isaiah 51:19](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/19). ***These two*****things -*****desolation, and destruction, and the**********famine, and the sword*** — That is, desolation by famine, and destruction by the sword, taking the terms alternately: of which form of construction see other examples. *De S. Poesi*, Heb. Prael. xix., and Prelim. Dissert. p. xxx. The *Chaldee* paraphrast, not rightly understanding this, has had recourse to the following expedient: "Two afflictions are come upon thee, and when *four* shall come upon thee, *depredation*, and *destruction*, and the *famine*, and the *sword* - " Five MSS. הרעב *haraab*, without the conjunction ו *vau*; and so the *Septuagint* and *Syriac*.
***By whom shall I comfort thee*** - "Who shall comfort thee"] A MS., the *Septuagint, Syriac, Chaldee*, and *Vulgate* have it in the third person, ינחמך *yenachamech*, which is evidently right.

Verse [Isaiah 51:20](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/20). ***As a wild bull in a net: they are full, c.***- "Like the oryx taken in the toils drenched to the full"] "Perhaps מכמרה מלאים *michmerah meleim*." SECKER. The demonstrative ה *he*, prefixed to מלאים *meleim, full*, seems improper in this place.

Verse [Isaiah 51:21](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/21). ***Drunken, but not with wine*** — AEschylus has the same expression: -
The bold image of the cup of God's wrath, often employed by the sacred writers, ([Isaiah 1:22](../../../kjv/isaiah/1/22),) is nowhere handled with greater force and sublimity than in this passage of Isaiah, [Isaiah 51:17-23](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/17-23). Jerusalem is represented in person as staggering under the effects of it, destitute of that assistance which she might expect from her children; not one of them being able to support or to lead her. They, abject and amazed, lie at the head of every street, overwhelmed with the greatness of their distress; like the oryx entangled in a net, in vain struggling to rend it, and extricate himself. This is poetry of the first order, sublimity of the highest character.
*Plato* had an idea something like this: "Suppose," says he, "God had given to men a medicating potion inducing fear, so that the more any one should drink of it, so much the more miserable he should find himself at every draught, and become fearful of every thing both present and future; and at last, though the most courageous of men, should be totally possessed by fear: and afterwards, having slept off the effects of it, should become himself again." *De Leg*. i., near the end. He pursues at large this hypothesis, applying it to his own purpose, which has no relation to the present subject. *Homer* places two vessels at the disposal of Jupiter, one of good, the other of evil. He gives to some a potion mixed of both; to others from the evil vessel only: these are completely miserable. Iliad xxiv. 527-533.
Δοιοι γαρ τε πιθοι κατακειαται εν Διος ουδει
Δωρων, οἱα διδωσι, κακων, ἑτερος δε εαων,
Ὡ μεν καμμιξας δῳη Ζευς τερπικεραυνος,
Αλλοτε μεν τε κακῳ ὁγε κυρεται, αλλοτε δ' εσθλῳ·
Ὡ δε κε των λυγρων δῳη, λωβητον εθηκε.
Και ἑ κακη βουβρωστις επι χθονα διαν ελαυνει·
Φοιτᾳ δ' ουτε θεοισι τετιμενος, ουτι βροτοισιν.

"*Two urns* by Jove's high throne have ever stood,
The source of *evil* one, and one of *good*;
From thence the cup of mortal man he fills,
*Blessings* to *these*, to *those* distributes *ills*;
To most he *mingles both*: the wretch decreed
To taste the *bad unmixed*, is cursed indeed:
Pursued by wrongs, by meagre famine driven,
He wanders outcast both of earth and heaven."
POPE.

Verse [Isaiah 51:23](../../../kjv/isaiah/51/23). ***Them that afflict thee*** - "Them who oppress thee"] The *Septuagint, Chaldee, Syriac*, and *Vulgate* appear to have read מוניך *monayich*, as in [Isaiah 40:26](../../../kjv/isaiah/40/26)." - SECKER.
***Which have said to thy soul, Bow down*** - "Who say to thee, Bow down thy body"] A very strong and most expressive description of the insolent pride of eastern conquerors; which, though it may seem greatly exaggerated, yet hardly exceeds the strict truth. An example has already been given of it in the note, [Isaiah 49:23](../../../kjv/isaiah/49/23). I will here add one or two more. "Joshua called for all the men of Israel; and said unto the captains of the men of war that went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings," [Joshua 10:24](../../../kjv/joshua/10/24). "Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: As I have done, so hath God requited me," [Judges 1:7](../../../kjv/judges/1/7). The Emperor Valerianus, being through treachery taken prisoner by Sapor king of Persia, was treated by him as the basest and most abject slave: for the Persian monarch commanded the unhappy Roman to bow himself down, and offer him his back, on which he set his foot, in order to mount his chariot or horse whenever he had occasion. - LACTANTIUS, *De Mort. Persec*. cap. v. AUREL. VICTOR. *Epitome*, cap. xxxii. - L.

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