1.
Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
isles = maritime countries.
people = peoples.
hath called. Fulfilled in Matthew 1:18 . Luke 1:28 .
Me. The Messiah prophesied of in Isaiah 7:14 . Neither Isaiah, nor Israel, nor the Church.
2.
And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
mouth . . . the shadow . . . band. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia.
sword. Compare Revelation 1:16 ; Revelation 2:12 , Revelation 2:16 ; Revelation 19:15 .
polished: or, pointed.
shaft = arrow.
hid Me. Thirty years at Nazareth.
3.
And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
My Servant. See note on Isaiah 37:36 .
Israel = Prince of GOD. Messiah making this use of, and applying the name to Himself. Israel could not "raise up" Israel (Isaiah 49:6 ). Christ is called"Israel" in the same way that He is called "David"; and Psalms 24:6 , "Jacob".
4.
Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.
I said , or thought: i.e. said to Myself.
strength = strength (to endure). Hebrew. koah. Not the same word as in Isaiah 49:5 .
for nought. Hebrew. tohu . See note on Isaiah 24:10 , "confusion".
judgment = vindication.
work = recompense.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
5.
And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
saith. Some codices, with Septuagint and Syriac, read "thus saith".
not. Hebrew text = l'o = not; but marked in margin to be read lo = to Him, which is confirmed by the list of such readings in the Massorah. If (in "be not gathered"), the negative be read, then the "though" and the "yet" must be retained; but if the preposition with suffix be read, then the rendering of the clause will be "to bring Jacob again to Him, and that Israel unto Him might be gathered, and I be glorious", &c. Probably both readings may be correct, for Israel was not gathered at His first coming (John 1:11 ), but will be at His second coming.
strength = strength (for victory). Not the same word as in Isaiah 49:4
Hebrew. 'azaz.
6.
And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
light = small.
I will also give, &c. Quoted in Luke 2:32 .Acts 13:47; Acts 13:47
Gentiles = nations. Hebrew. goyim. Compare Isaiah 42:6 . Therefore not the secret (or Mystery) of the Epistle to the Ephesians. Compare Genesis 12:3 .Luke 2:29-32 .
Thou. This cannot be Israel, for it is expressly fulfilled in Christ.
Salvation. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), App-6 , for the Saviour Who wrought salvation.
7.
Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
Redeemer = Kinsman Redeemer. Hebrew. go'el . See note on Isaiah 41:14 and Exodus 6:6 .
Whom man despiseth = Whom their (i.e. Israel's) soul (Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 ) despiseth. Compare Isaiah 53:3 .Psalms 42:5 , Psalms 42:6 . Matthew 26:67 . 1 Corinthians 2:14 .
nation. Hebrew. goi : i.e. a heathen nation. So called here for its unbelief and rejection of the Messiah.
a servant of rulers. Compare Psalms 2:2 .Matthew 27:41 .
the Holy One of Israel. See note on Isaiah 1:4 .
8.
Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
an acceptable time = a time of acceptance. Quoted in a 2 Corinthians 6:2 .
heard = answered.
a covenant of the People = the covenant of a People. Compare Isaiah 42:6 , Isaiah 42:7 . Hebrew. am , not goi as in Isaiah 49:7 .
established the earth = raise up the land.
desolate. See note on Isaiah 1:7 .
9.
That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
That Thou mayest say. This cannot be the nation, but the Messiah.
Go forth. Compare Isaiah 42:7 ; Isaiah 61:1 .
to. Some codices, with two early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "and to".
10.
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
They shall not hunger, &c. Quoted in Revelation 7:16 .
shall He guide them = shall He cause them to rest.
11.
And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
highways. See note on Isaiah 7:3 .
12.
Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
Sinim. Probably = China. Occurs only here.
13.
Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
Sing = Shout in triumph.
break forth into singing. See note on Isaiah 14:7 .
comforted His People. Compare Isaiah 40:1 ; Isaiah 51:3 .
14.
But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
Zion said. Figure of speech Prolepsis . This sets at rest the conflicting interpretations.
forsaken. See note on Isaiah 1:4 .
my LORD*. One of the 134 places where the Sopherim changed "Jehovah of the primitive text to Adonai. App-32 .
15.
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
Can a woman, &c. Figures of speech Erotesis and Pathopoeia.
will I not forget. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .
16.
Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
graven. Denoting permanence.
the palms, &c. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .
17.
Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.
children = sons.
18.
Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.
bride. First occurrence in this connection.
19.
For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
20.
The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.
which thou shalt have. other = of thy childlessness, or, of whom thou wast bereaved.
21.
Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?
Then = And.
Who . . . where? Figure of speech Erotesis.
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.
these. Some codices, with Septuagint and Vulgate, read "and these", or "these therefore".
had they been = were they?
22.
Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
the Lord GOD. Hebrew Adonai Jehovah. See App-4 .
lift up Mine hand. Idiom for "call". Figure of speech Anthropopatheia.
Gentiles = nations.
people = peoples.
arms = bosom: the folds of the garment forming a large natural pocket; but children were, and still are, usually carried astride the shoulder as soon as they can sit.
daughters shall be carried. Showing the care they shall receive, for girls are usually left to shift for themselves. See note on Isaiah 60:4 .
23.
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
queens = princesses.
lick up, &c. Denoting subjection and submission, as in Genesis 3:14 . Compare Psalms 72:9 and Micah 7:17 .
thou shalt know. Ref to Pentateuch (Exodus 6:7 ). App-92 .
wait for me. Reference to Pentateuch (same word as in Genesis 49:18 ).
24.
Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
the prey. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 31:11 , Numbers 31:12 , Numbers 31:26 , Numbers 31:27 , Numbers 31:32 ). Occurs elsewhere only in the next verse and Psalms 22:15 .
mighty = a mighty one (singular) Hebrew. gibbor. App-14 .
25.
But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
captives = captivity. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for "captives".
terrible = tyrant or ruthless one.
26.
And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
sweet wine. Heb 'asis = new wine, the product of the same year. App-27 .
all flesh shall know. Compare Isaiah 40:5 ; Isaiah 52:10 .
am thy Saviour: or, am saving thee.
the mighty One of Jacob. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 49:24 ): only here and Isaiah 60:16 . Nowhere else except Psalms 132:2 , Psalms 132:5 .