1Křič radostí, neplodná, která jsi nerodila; vykřikuj radostí, mocně volej ty, která jsi nikoho nepřivedla na svět, vždyť synové opuštěné jsou četnější než synové manželky, říká Jahve. 2Rozšiř prostor ve svém stanu, bez skrblení roztáhni plátna, jež ti skýtají úkryt, prodluž své provazy, vyztuž své kolíky, 3neboť se rozmůžeš napravo i nalevo, tvůj rod zažene národy a znovu zabydlí opuštěná města. 4Neboj se, už nezakusíš hanbu, nestyď se, už se nebudeš muset rdít; neboť zapomeneš na hanbu svého mládí, už si nevzpomeneš na ponížení svého vdovství. 5Tvůj stvořitel je tvůj choť, Jahve Sabaot je jeho jméno, Svatý Izraele je tvůj vykupitel, nazývají ho Bůh celé země. 6Ano, jako opuštěnou a sklíčenou ženu tě povolal Jahve, jako ženu svého mládí, jež byla zřejmě zapuzena, říká tvůj Bůh. 7Na krátký okamžik jsem tě opustil, pojalo mě nesmírné slitování a opět se s tebou spojím. 8Překypoval jsem na okamžik rozlíceností a skryl jsem před tebou tvář. Ve věčné lásce jsem se nad tebou slitoval, říká Jahve, tvůj vykupitel. 9Bude to pro mne jako v Noemově době, když jsem přísahal, že Noemovy vody se už na zemi nerozlejí. Stejně přísahám, že už se na tebe nerozlítím, že už ti nebudu hrozit. 10Neboť hory se mohou vzdálit a pahorky zakolísat, má láska se od tebe nevzdálí, má smlouva pokoje nezakolísá, říká Jahve, jenž tě utěšuje. 11Nešťastné, větry bičované, neutěšené, hle, položím tvé kameny na karbunkuly a tvé základy na safíry; 12cimbuří ti udělám z rubínů, brány z karbunkulů a celé hradby z drahých kamenů. 13Všechny tvé děti budou Jahvovými učedníky a veliké bude štěstí tvých dětí. 14Na spravedlnosti budeš založeno, zbaveno útlaku, nebudeš se muset ničeho bát, zbaveno děsu - ten už nad tebou vládnout nebude. 15Hle, dojde-li k útoku, má věc to nebude, kdokoli na tebe zaútočí, kvůli tobě padne. 16Hle, já jsem stvořil kováře, který rozdmýchává řeřavé uhlí a kuje nástroj ke své potřebě; já jsem také stvořil ničitele, aby ničil. 17Žádná zbraň ukutá proti tobě nemůže být účinná. Každý jazyk, který by tě obžaloval před soudem, zmateš. To je úděl Jahvových služebníků, vítězství, které jim zaručuji. Jahvův výrok.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE FRUIT OF MESSIAH'S SUFFERINGS, AND OF ISRAEL'S FINAL PENITENCE AT HER PAST UNBELIEF (
Isa 53:6): HER JOYFUL RESTORATION AND ENLARGEMENT BY JEHOVAH, WHOSE WRATH WAS MOMENTARY, BUT HIS KINDNESS EVERLASTING. (Isa. 54:1-17)
Sing--for joy (
Zeph 3:14).
barren--the Jewish Church once forsaken by God, and therefore during that time destitute of spiritual children (
Isa 54:6).
didst not bear--during the Babylonian exile primarily. Secondarily, and chiefly, during Israel's present dispersion.
the children--the Gentiles adopted by special grace into the original Church (
Isa 54:3;
Isa 49:20-
Isa 49:21).
than . . . married wife--than were her spiritual children, when Israel was still a married wife (under the law, before the Babylonian exile), before God put her away [MAURER]. So Paul contrasts the universal Church of the New Testament with the Church of the Old Testament legal dispensation, quoting this very passage (
Gal 4:27). But the full accomplishment of it is yet future.
2 (
Isa 49:19-
Isa 49:20;
Jer 31:31-
Jer 31:36,
Jer 31:38-
Jer 31:39). Thy children shall be so many that thy borders must be extended to contain them.
curtains--the cloth forming the covering of the tent.
spare not--give abundantly the means for the enlargement of the Church (
2Cor 9:5-7).
cords . . . stakes--The more the tent is enlarged by lengthening the cords by which the cloth covering is fastened to the ground, the more the stakes supporting the tent need to be strengthened; the Church is not merely to seek new converts, but to strengthen those she has in the faith. The image is appropriate, as the tabernacle was the symbol of the old Israelitish Church (see on
Isa 33:20).
3 break forth--rather, "burst forth" with increase; thy offspring shall grow, answering to "thy seed" in the parallel clause.
thy seed--Israel and her children, as distinguished from "the Gentiles."
desolate cities--of Israel (
Isa 44:26).
4 (
Isa 41:10,
Isa 41:14).
shame of thy youth--Israel's unfaithfulness as wife of Jehovah, almost from her earliest history.
reproach of widowhood--Israel's punishment in her consequent dismissal from God and barrenness of spiritual children in Babylon and her present dispersion (
Isa 54:1;
Isa 49:21;
Jer 3:24-
Jer 3:25;
Jer 31:19;
Hos 2:2-
Hos 2:5).
5 (
Isa 62:5;
Jer 3:14). That God was Israel's "Maker," both as individuals and as the theocratic kingdom, is the pledge of assurance that He will be her Redeemer (
Isa 43:1-
Isa 43:3). Hebrew, "makers . . . husbands"; plural for singular, to denote excellency.
of Israel . . . whole earth--Not until He manifests Himself as God of Israel shall He appear as God of the whole earth (
Ps 102:13,
Ps 102:15-
Ps 102:16;
Zech 14:5,
Zech 14:9).
6 called--that is, recalled: the prophetic past for the future.
forsaken--that had been forsaken.
when thou--or, "when she was rejected"; one who had been a wife of youth (
Ezek 16:8,
Ezek 16:22,
Ezek 16:60;
Jer 2:2) at the time when (thou, or) she was rejected for infidelity [MAURER]. "A wife of youth but afterwards rejected" [LOWTH].
7 small moment--as compared with Israel's coming long prosperity (
Isa 26:20;
Isa 60:10). So the spiritual Israel (
Ps 30:5;
2Cor 4:17).
gather thee--to Myself from thy dispersions.
8 In a little wrath--rather, "In the overflowing of wrath"; as
Pro 27:4, Margin, [GESENIUS]. The wrath, though but "for a moment," was overflowing while it lasted.
hid . . . face-- (
Isa 8:17;
Ps 30:7).
everlasting--in contrast to "for a moment."
9 I am about to do the same in this instance as in Noah's flood. As I swore then that it should not return (
Gen 8:21;
Gen 9:11), and I kept that promise, so I swear now to My people, and will perform My promise, that there shall be no return of the deluge of My wrath upon them. LOWTH, on insufficient authority, reads (the same will I do now as), "in the days of Noah."
10 (
Isa 51:6;
Ps 89:33-
Ps 89:34;
Rom 11:29).
covenant of my peace-- (
2Sam 23:5). The covenant whereby I have made thee at peace with Me.
11 not comforted--by anyone; none gave her help or comfort.
lay . . . with fair colours--rather, "lay . . . in cement of vermilion" [LOWTH]. The Hebrew for "fair colors" means stibium, the paint with which Eastern women painted their eyelids and eyelashes (
2Kgs 9:30). The very cement shall be of the most beautiful color (
Rev 21:18-
Rev 21:21).
12 windows--rather, "battlements"; literally, "suns"; applied to battlements from their radiated appearance.
agates--rather, "rubies."
carbuncles--literally, "sparkling gems"; the carbuncle when held to the sun becomes like a burning coal.
all thy borders--rather, "thy whole circuit," consisting of precious stones. The glory of the Church on earth, when the Hebrew Church, according to the original design, shall be the metropolis of Christendom.
13 Quoted by the Saviour (
John 6:45), to prove that in order to come to Him, men must be "drawn" by the Father. So
Jer 31:34;
Mic 4:2;
1Cor 2:10;
Heb 8:10;
Heb 10:16;
1John 2:20.
great . . . peace--generally (
Ps 119:165). Specially referring to the peaceful prosperity which shall prevail under Messiah in the latter days (
Isa 2:4,
Isa 9:6).
14 righteousness--the characteristic of the reign of Messiah (
Isa 11:4-
Isa 11:5;
Ps 72:2,
Ps 72:4;
Rev 19:11).
far from oppression, &c.--far from suffering oppression; "for thou shall have nothing to fear."
15 gather together, &c.--that is, If it should happen that enemies "gather together" against thee (
Ps 2:2), they will not have been sent by Me (compare
Hos 8:4) as instruments of My wrath (nay, it will be with My disapproval); for "whosoever shall gather together," &c. (
Ps 59:3).
fall for thy sake--rather, "shall come over to thy side" [LOWTH]. Literally, "fall to thee" (
Jer 21:9;
Jer 39:9). To be fully fulfilled to Jerusalem hereafter (
Zech 14:16).
16 The workman that forms "weapons against thee" (
Isa 54:17) is wholly in My power, therefore thou needest not fear, having Me on thy side.
for his work--rather, "by his labor [HORSLEY]. "According to the exigencies of his work" [MAURER].
waster to destroy-- (
Isa 10:5-
Isa 10:7;
Isa 37:26-
Isa 37:27;
Isa 45:1-
Isa 45:6). Desolating conquerors who use the "instruments" framed by "the smith." The repetition of the "I" implies, however, something in the latter half of the verse contrasted with the former understand it, therefore, thus: "I have in My power both him who frames arms and him who destroys them (arms)" [ROSENMULLER].
17 tongue . . . condemn--image from a court of justice. Those who desire to "condemn" thee thou shalt "condemn" (
Exod 11:7;
Josh 10:21;
Ps 64:8;
Rom 8:1,
Rom 8:33).
righteousness . . . of me-- (
Isa 45:24;
Isa 46:13). Rather, "(this is) their justification from Me." Their enemies would "condemn" them, but I justify and vindicate them, and so they condemn their enemies.