1Ostrovy ať přede mnou mlčí, národy ať obnoví svou sílu; ať přistoupí a pak mluví! Sejděme se spolu k soudu! 2Kdo vzbudil od východu toho, v jehož šlépějích kráčí vítězství? Dá mu v plen národy, podmaní mu krále; jeho meč je mění v prach, jeho luk v odváté stéblo. 3Bude je stíhat, sám však bez pohromy potáhne vpřed, jeho nohy se ani nedotýkají cesty. 4Kdo to způsobil, kdo to učinil? Ten, který povolal pokolení od začátku. Já, Hospodin, jsem první a budu i s posledními. 5Viděly to ostrovy a bály se, užasly končiny země, přiblížily se a přistoupily. 6Navzájem si budou pomáhat a jeden druhému řekne: „Vzmuž se!“ 7Slevač bude povzbuzovat zlatníka, ten, který vládne kladivem, toho, který buší do kovadliny, a řekne o tom, co bylo sletováno: „Je to dobré!“ a upevňuje modlu hřebíky, aby se neviklala. 8Ty však, Izraeli, můj služebníku, Jakube, kterého jsem si vyvolil, potomstvo Abraháma, mého přítele! 9Vzal jsem tě od končin země, z dálných jejích koutů jsem tě povolal a řekl jsem ti: „Jsi můj služebník, vyvolil jsem tě a nezavrhl.“ 10Neboj se, neboť já jsem s tebou, nedívej se tak sklíčeně, vždyť já jsem tvůj Bůh, posílím tě a pomohu ti, svou vítěznou pravicí tě podepřu. 11Hle, zahanbí se a zastydí všichni, kdo proti tobě planou záštím, obrátí se vniveč a zahynou tvoji protivníci. 12Budeš je hledat a nenalezneš ty, kdo s tebou se sváří; vniveč a nicotu se obrátí ti, kdo s tebou válčí. 13Neboť já jsem Hospodin, tvůj Bůh, který tě drží za ruku a říká ti: „Nestrachuj se! Já ti pomohu! 14Neboj se, červíčku Jakube, izraelský hloučku! Já ti pomohu“ – praví Hospodin. Tvůj vykupitel je Svatý Izraele. 15Udělám z tebe ostrou mlátičku, novou, s mnohými zuby. Rozmlátíš hory a rozdrtíš je, pahorky obrátíš v plevy. 16Převěješ je a vítr je odvane, vichřice je rozpráší, ty však zaplesáš v Hospodinu, budeš se chlubit ve Svatém Izraele. 17Chudáci a ubožáci marně hledají vodu, jejich jazyk vysychá žízní. Já, Hospodin, je vyslyším, já, Bůh Izraele, je neopustím. 18Na holých pahorcích dám vytrysknout řekám, uprostřed údolí zřídlům, změním step v jezera vod, vyprahlou zemi v prameny vod. 19Vysázím cedry na poušti, akácie, myrty a stromy oliv, v pustině vysázím cypřiše, jilmy, s nimi í terebinty, 20aby všichni viděli a poznali, aby uvážili a pochopili, že to způsobila Hospodinova ruka, že Svatý Izraele to stvořil. 21Předneste svůj spor – praví Hospodin, přineste své důkazy – praví Jakubův král. 22Ať přijdou a oznámí nám, co se má stát; to staré, co se splnilo, oznamte, abychom zkoumali a poznali výsledek, nebo nám ukažte, co má přijít. 23Oznamte, co má přijít v budoucnu, ať poznáme, že jste bohy. Učiňte něco, ať dobré, či zlé, abychom to prohlédli a všichni to viděli. 24Avšak hle, vy nejste nic a vaše práce je k ničemu. Ohavný je, kdo si vás zvolil! 25Vzbudil jsem ho od severu a přišel od východu slunce; nazval jsem ho jménem; zdeptá mocnáře jako bláto, jako hrnčíř, který šlape hlínu. 26Kdo to zvěstoval od začátku, abychom to poznali, a od pradávna, abychom mohli říci: Je to pravda!? Nikdo to neoznámil, nikdo se nedal slyšet, nikdo nevnímal vaše slova. 27Já jsem to první oznámil Siónu, a stalo se, Jeruzalému dávám hlasatele blaha. 28Rozhlížel jsem se, nikdo tu nebyl, nikdo z nich neporadil, nikdo mi na otázku nedal odpověď. 29Hle, všichni jsou nepravost, jejich práce je k ničemu, vítr a prázdnota jsou jejich modly.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 ADDITIONAL REASONS WHY THE JEWS SHOULD PLACE CONFIDENCE IN GOD'S PROMISES OF DELIVERING THEM; HE WILL RAISE UP A PRINCE AS THEIR DELIVERER, WHEREAS THE IDOLS COULD NOT DELIVER THE HEATHEN NATIONS FROM THAT PRINCE. (Isa. 41:1-29)
(
Zech 2:13). God is about to argue the case; therefore let the nations listen in reverential silence. Compare
Gen 28:16-
Gen 28:17, as to the spirit in which we ought to behave before God.
before me--rather (turning), "towards me" [MAURER].
islands--including all regions beyond sea (
Jer 25:22), maritime regions, not merely isles in the strict sense.
renew . . . strength--Let them gather their strength for the argument; let them adduce their strongest arguments (compare
Isa 1:18;
Job 9:32). "Judgment" means here, to decide the point at issue between us.
2 Who--else but God? The fact that God "raiseth up" Cyrus and qualifies him for becoming the conqueror of the nations and deliverer of God's people, is a strong argument why they should trust in Him. The future is here prophetically represented as present or past.
the righteous man--Cyrus; as
Isa 44:28;
Isa 45:1-
Isa 45:4,
Isa 45:13;
Isa 46:11, "from the East," prove. Called "righteous," not so much on account of his own equity [HERODOTUS, 3.89], as because he fulfilled God's righteous will in restoring the Jews from their unjust captivity. Raised him up in righteousness. The Septuagint takes the Hebrew as a noun "righteousness." MAURER translates, "Who raised up him whom salvation (national and temporal, the gift of God's 'righteousness' to the good,
Isa 32:17; compare
Isa 45:8;
Isa 51:5) meets at his foot" (that is, wherever he goes). Cyrus is said to come from the East, because Persia is east of Babylon; but in
Isa 41:25, from the north, in reference to Media. At the same time the full sense of righteousness, or righteous, and of the whole passage, is realized only in Messiah, Cyrus' antitype (Cyrus knew not God,
Isa 45:4). He goes forth as the Universal Conqueror of the "nations," in righteousness making war (
Ps 2:8-
Ps 2:9;
Rev 19:11-
Rev 19:15;
Rev 6:2;
Rev 2:26-
Rev 2:27). "The idols He shall utterly abolish" (compare
Isa 7:23, with
Isa 2:18). Righteousness was always raised up from the East. Paradise was east of Eden. The cherubim were at the east of the garden. Abraham was called from the East. Judea, the birthplace of Messiah, was in the East.
called . . . to . . . foot--called him to attend His (God's) steps, that is, follow His guidance. In
Ezra 1:2, Cyrus acknowledges Jehovah as the Giver of his victories. He subdued the nations from the Euxine to the Red Sea, and even Egypt (says XENOPHON).
dust-- (
Isa 17:13;
Isa 29:5;
Ps 18:42). Persia, Cyrus' country, was famed for the use of the "bow" (
Isa 22:6). "Before him" means "gave them into his power" (
Josh 10:12). MAURER translates, "Gave his (the enemy's) sword to be dust, and his (the enemy's) bow to be as stubble" (
Job 41:26,
Job 41:29).
3 Cyrus had not visited the regions of the Euphrates and westward until he visited them for conquest. So the gospel conquests penetrated regions where the name of God was unknown before.
4 Who--else but God?
calling . . . generations from . . . beginning--The origin and position of all nations are from God (
Deut 32:8;
Acts 17:26); what is true of Cyrus and his conquests is true of all the movements of history from the first; all are from God.
with the last--that is, the last (
Isa 44:6;
Isa 48:12).
5 feared--that they would be subdued.
drew near, and came--together, for mutual defense.
6 Be of good courage--Be not alarmed because of Cyrus, but make new images to secure the favor of the gods against him.
7 One workman encourages the other to be quick in finishing the idol, so as to avert the impending danger.
nails--to keep it steady in its place. Wisdom 13:15, 16, gives a similar picture of the folly of idolatry.
8 Contrast between the idolatrous nations whom God will destroy by Cyrus, and Israel whom God will deliver by the same man for their forefathers' sake.
servant--so termed as being chosen by God to worship Him themselves, and to lead other peoples to do the same (
Isa 45:4).
Jacob . . . chosen-- (
Ps 135:4).
my friend--literally, "loving me."
9 Abraham, the father of the Jews, taken from the remote Ur of the Chaldees. Others take it of Israel, called out of Egypt (
Deut 4:37;
Hos 11:1).
from the chief men--literally, "the elbows"; so the joints; hence the root which joins the tree to the earth; figuratively, those of ancient and noble stock. But the parallel clause "ends of the earth" favors GESENIUS, who translates, "the extremities of the earth"; so JEROME.
10 be not dismayed--literally, anxiously to look at one another in dismay.
right hand of my righteousness--that is, My right hand prepared in accordance with My righteousness (faithfulness to My promises) to uphold thee.
11 ashamed--put to the shame of defeat (compare
Isa 54:17;
Rom 9:33).
12 seek . . . and . . . not find--said of one so utterly put out of the way that not a trace of him can be found (
Ps 37:36).
thing of naught--shall utterly perish.
13 (
Deut 33:26,
Deut 33:29).
14 worm--in a state of contempt and affliction, whom all loathe and tread on, the very expression which Messiah, on the cross, applies to Himself (
Ps 22:6), so completely are the Lord and His people identified and assimilated. God's people are as 'worms' in humble thoughts of themselves, and in their enemies' haughty thoughts of them; worms, but not vipers, or of the serpent's seed." [HENRY].
men--The parallelism requires the word "men" here to have associated with it the idea of fewness or feebleness. LOWTH translates, "Ye mortals of Israel." The Septuagint, "altogether diminutive." MAURER supports English Version, which the Hebrew text best accord with.
the Lord--in general.
and thy redeemer--in particular; a still stronger reason why He should "help" them.
15 God will make Israel to destroy their enemies as the Eastern corn-drag (
Isa 28:27-
Isa 28:28) bruises out the grain with its teeth, and gives the chaff to the winds to scatter.
teeth--serrated, so as to cut up the straw for fodder and separate the grain from the chaff.
mountains . . . hills--kingdoms more or less powerful that were hostile to Israel (
Isa 2:14).
16 fan--winnowed (compare
Matt 3:12).
whirlwind . . . scatter them-- (
Job 27:21;
Job 30:22).
17 poor and needy--primarily, the exiles in Babylon.
water--figuratively, refreshment, prosperity after their affliction. The language is so constructed as only very partially to apply to the local and temporary event of the restoration from Babylon; but fully to be realized in the waters of life and of the Spirit, under the Gospel (
Isa 30:25;
Isa 44:3;
John 7:37-
John 7:39;
John 4:14). God wrought no miracles that we read of, in any wilderness, during the return from Babylon.
faileth--rather, "is rigid" or parched [HORSLEY].
18 Alluding to the waters with which Israel was miraculously supplied in the desert after having come out of Egypt.
high places--bare of trees, barren, and unwatered (
Jer 4:11;
Jer 14:6). "High places . . . valleys" spiritually express that in all circumstances, whether elevated or depressed, God's people will have refreshment for their souls, however little to be expected it might seem.
19 (
Isa 32:15;
Isa 55:13).
shittah--rather, the "acacia," or Egyptian thorn, from which the gum Arabic is obtained [LOWTH].
oil tree--the olive.
fir tree--rather, the "cypress": grateful by its shade.
pine--GESENIUS translates, "the holm."
box tree--not the shrub used for bordering flower beds, but [GESENIUS] a kind of cedar, remarkable for the smallness of its cones, and the upward direction of its branches.
20 consider--literally, "lay it (to hear)"; turn (their attention) to it. "They" refers to all lands (
Isa 41:1;
Ps 64:9;
Ps 40:3). The effect on the Gentiles of God's open interposition hereafter in behalf of Israel shall be, they shall seek Israel's God (
Isa 2:3;
Zech 8:21-
Zech 8:23).
21 A new challenge to the idolaters (see
Isa 41:1,
Isa 41:7) to say, can their idols predict future events as Jehovah can (
Isa 41:22-
Isa 41:25, &c.)?
your strong reasons--the reasons for idol-worship which you think especially strong.
22 what shall happen--"Let them bring near and declare future contingencies" [HORSLEY].
former things . . . the latter end of them--show what former predictions the idols have given, that we may compare the event ("latter end") with them; or give new prophecies ("declare things to come") (
Isa 42:9), [MAURER]. BARNES explains it more reconditely, "Let them foretell the entire series of events, showing, in their order, the things which shall first occur, as well as those which shall finally happen"; the false prophets tried to predict isolated events, having no mutual dependency; not a long series of events mutually and orderly connected, and stretching far into futurity. They did not even try to do this. None but God can do it (
Isa 46:10;
Isa 44:7-
Isa 44:8). "Or . . . things to come" will, in this view, mean, Let them, if they cannot predict the series, even predict plainly any detached events.
23 do good . . . evil--give any proof at all of your power, either to reward your friends or punish your enemies (
Ps 115:2-
Ps 115:8).
that we may be dismayed, and behold it together--MAURER translates, "That we (Jehovah and the idols) may look one another in the face (that is, encounter one another,
2Kgs 14:8,
2Kgs 14:11), and see" our respective powers by a trial. HORSLEY translates, "Then the moment we behold, we shall be dismayed." "We" thus, and in English Version, refers to Jehovah and His worshippers.
24 of nothing--(See on
Isa 40:17). The Hebrew text is here corrupt; so English Version treats it.
abomination--abstract for concrete: not merely abominable, but the essence of whatever is so (
Deut 18:12).
chooseth you--as an object of worship.
25 raised up--in purpose: not fulfilled till a hundred fifty years afterwards.
north--In
Isa 41:2, "from the East"; both are true: see the note there.
call . . . my name--acknowledge Me as God, and attribute his success to Me; this he did in the proclamation (
Ezra 1:2). This does not necessarily imply that Cyrus renounced idolatry, but hearing of Isaiah's prophecy given a hundred fifty years before, so fully realized in his own acts, he recognized God as the true God, but retained his idol (so Naaman, 2Ki. 5:1-27; compare
2Kgs 17:33,
2Kgs 17:41;
Dan 3:28;
Dan 4:1-
Dan 4:3,
Dan 4:34-
Dan 4:37).
princes--the Babylonian satraps or governors of provinces.
mortar--"mire"; He shall tread them under foot as dirt (
Isa 10:6).
26 Who--of the idolatrous soothsayers? When this prophecy shall be fulfilled, all shall see that God foretold as to Cyrus, which none of the soothsayers have.
beforetime--before the event occurred.
He is righteous--rather, "It is true"; it was a true prophecy, as the event shows. "He is righteous," in English Version, must be interpreted, The fulfilment of the idol's words proves that he is faithful.
showeth, &c.--rather, "there was none (of the soothsayers) that showed . . . declared--no one has heard your words" foretelling the event.
27 Rather, "I first will give to Zion and to Jerusalem the messenger of good tidings, Behold, behold them!" The clause, "Behold . . . them" (the wished-for event is now present) is inserted in the middle of the sentence as a detached exclamation, by an elegant transposition, the language being framed abruptly, as one would speak in putting vividly as it were, before the eyes of others, some joyous event which he had just learned [LUDOVICUS DE DIEU] (compare
Isa 40:9). None of the idols had foretold these events. Jehovah was the "first" to do so (see
Isa 41:4).
28 no counsellor--no one of the idolatrous soothsayers who could inform (
Num 24:14) those who consulted them what would take place. Compare "counsel of His messenger" (
Isa 44:26).
when I asked--that is, challenged them, in this chapter.
29 confusion--"emptiness" [BARNES].
God's description of His character (
Isa 42:1-
Isa 42:4). God addresses Him directly (
Isa 42:5-
Isa 42:7). Address to the people to attend to the subject (
Isa 42:8-
Isa 42:9). Call to all, and especially the exile Jews to rejoice in the coming deliverance (Isa. 42:10-25).