1.

Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.

waters. Some codices, with three early printed editions, read "days".
swear by the name, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 6:13 ). App-92 .
the Lord. Hebrew. Jehovah.
the God of Israel. See note on Isaiah 29:23 .
in truth. See note on Isaiah 10:20 .

2.

For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name.

3.

I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.

the former things, &c. Such as the birth of Isaac, the Exodus, &c.

4.

Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;

thy neck, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 32:9 ).

5.

I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them.

6.

Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.

see = look close into.

7.

They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.

8.

Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

transgressor = rebel.

9.

For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.

My name's. See note on Psalms 20:1 .

10.

Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

affliction = humiliation, or oppression.

11.

For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.

For Mine own sake. Note the Figure of speech Epizeuxis , for great emphasis.
I will not give, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20:5 ).

12.

Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

Jacob and Israel: i.e. the natural and spiritual seed. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read "Jacob my servant".
the first. the last. Compare Isaiah 41:4 ; Isaiah 44:6 .

13.

Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

spanned = stretched out.
stand up. To listen to my words.

14.

All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.

them. Some codices, with two early printed editions, and Syriac, read "you".
him: i.e. Cyrus: Isaiah 45:1 ; Isaiah 46:10 , Isaiah 46:11 .
arm. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for the judgment inflicted by it. Note also the Figure of speech Anthropopatheia.

15.

I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.

I . . . I. Note the Figure of speech Epizeuxis.

16.

Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

not spoken in secret. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 30:11 ). Compare Isaiah 45:19 . App-92 .
and His Spirit, hath sent Me: or, hath sent both Me and His Spirit: i.e. the prophet, and His Spirit the inspirer of the message sent by Isaiah (compare Acts 28:25 ), "well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah", &c. Note the great doctrine of the Trinity.
Spirit. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .

17.

Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

the Holy One of Israel. See note on Isaiah 1:4 .

18.

O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:

O that thou hadst, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 5:29 ), Compare Psalms 81:13 . Note Figure of speech App-6 and App-92 .
peace = well-being, or prosperity.
a = the.

19.

Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.

as the sand. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 22:17 ; Genesis 32:12 ).

20.

Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob.

His servant. See note on Isaiah 37:35 .

21.

And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.

He led them, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 8:2 ).
caused. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 17:6 . Numbers 20:11 ). App-92 .

22.

There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.

no peace, &c. Compare Isaiah 57:20 .
the wicked = lawless ones: i.e. the wicked in Israel.