1.
But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
the LORD That created thee. This is another Jehovah title (compare App-4 .) = Jehovah Boraaka = Jehovah thy Creator.
Jacob . . . Israel. See notes on Genesis 32:28 ; Genesis 43:6 ; Genesis 45:26 , Genesis 45:28 . See Isaiah 42:24 , above.
He That formed thee = thy Former.
Fear not. Compare Isaiah 43:5 .
redeemed. Hebrew. ga'al. See note on Exodus 6:6 .
2.
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
When thou passest = shouldst thou pass: the habitual sense of ki with the Future. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 31:6 , Deuteronomy 31:8 ).
the waters . . . the rivers. . . the fire . . . the flame = waters . . . rivers . . . fire . . . flame. A general promise of future deliverance put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for troubles of any and all kinds. This promise refers to Israel's future, and not to the Saxon race, or the Church.
kindle upon thee = pass over thee.
3.
For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
I am the LORD thy God = I Jehovah am thy God (Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 ). Note the three titles. He was Israel's God by covenant (note the others in the next clause):
the Holy One of Israel , in contrast with all false gods. See note on Isaiah 1:4 , and Psalms 71:22 .
thy Saviour. This is the third title.
Egypt. Ethiopia and Seba = Egypt. Nubia (Cush), and Ethiopia. These were given to Persia as ransommoney (as it were) for the release of Israel by Persia through the successors of Cyrus. In the time of Isaiah these three were united under one dynasty.
ransom = atonement price. Hebrew. kopher. See note on Exodus 29:33 .
4.
Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
Since thou wast = Ever since thou becamest.
men = a man. Can this refer to Christ? Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .
people = peoples.
5.
Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
6.
I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
7.
Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
8.
Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.
the blind People = a blind People: i.e. Israel (See Isaiah 6:10 ; Isaiah 42:19 , Isaiah 42:20 . Jeremiah 5:21 .Ezekiel 12:2 .Matthew 13:14 .Acts 28:26 , Acts 28:27 ).
9.
Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
them. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "you".
10.
Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
saith the LORD = is Jehovah's oracle.
My Servant: i.e. Israel. See note on Isaiah 37:35 .
chosen. See note on Isaiah 1:29 .
I am He: or, "I [am] He [Who is]".
11.
I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
12.
I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.
no strange god. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:12 , Deuteronomy 32:16 ). See App-92 .
13.
Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?
14.
Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.
Redeemer = Kinsman- Redeemer. Hebrew. Go'el . See note on Exodus 6:6 .
Babylon. This is the first occurrence of the name in Isaiah.
their nobles = all of them in flight.
Whose cry is in the ships = the ships which resound with loud outcries (compare Lamentations 2:19 . Numbers 24:24 ).
15.
I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.
16.
Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;
maketh a way in the sea. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 14:16 , Exodus 14:21 , Exodus 14:22 .Psalms 77:19; Psalms 77:19 ).
17.
Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.
together: or, at once.
tow = wick. Hebrew flax. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for the wick made of it.
18.
Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
19.
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
a new thing. The future deliverance of Israel will be with greater marvels than at the Exodus.
20.
The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
I give waters, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 17:6 ).
21.
This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.
This People, &c. For Israel (as Birks puts it) "is the keystone of the whole arch of promise".
22.
But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.
called upon Me. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Species), App-6 , for all that has to do with worship, as developed in verses: Isaiah 43:23 , Isaiah 43:24 .
been weary of Me. Note the emphasis is on "Me" in these verses (compare Micah 6:3 .Malachi 1:13; Malachi 1:13 ).
23.
Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense.
Thou hast not brought Me, &c. These verses are quite opposed to the alleged indifference of the prophets to the Divine ritual.
24.
Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.
but. Note the solemn antithesis.
made Me to serve. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect, of the verb), for the judicial consequences of their sins.
25.
I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
transgressions = rebellions. Hebrew. pasha' .
for Mine own sake. He does not go out of Himself for the reason which flows from grace.
will not remember. He remembers our infirmities (which man forgets. Psalms 103:14 ), but will forget our sins (which man remembers).
remember. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia.
26.
Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
declare = recount [thy works, or sins].
27.
Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me.
Thy first father: i.e. Jacob, as stated in the next verse (compare Deuteronomy 26:5 .Ezekiel 16:3 , Ezekiel 16:45 ).
28.
Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.
princes = priests, whose great duty it was to "teach" the people the Law and Word of God (see notes on Deuteronomy 17:11 ; Deuteronomy 33:10 ).
Jacob . . . Israel. Including the whole Nation: the subject of this prophecy concerning Jehovah's "servant".