1HearkenH8085 to me, ye that follow afterH7291 righteousnessH6664, ye that seekH1245 the LORDH3068: lookH5027 unto the rockH6697 whence ye are hewnH2672, and to the holeH4718 of the pitH953 whence ye are diggedH5365 . 2LookH5027 unto AbrahamH85 your fatherH1, and unto SarahH8283 that bareH2342 you: for I calledH7121 him aloneH259, and blessedH1288 him, and increasedH7235 him. 3For the LORDH3068 shall comfortH5162 ZionH6726: he will comfortH5162 all her waste placesH2723; and he will makeH7760 her wildernessH4057 like EdenH5731, and her desertH6160 like the gardenH1588 of the LORDH3068; joyH8342 and gladnessH8057 shall be foundH4672 therein, thanksgivingH8426, and the voiceH6963 of melodyH2172. 4HearkenH7181 unto me, my peopleH5971; and give earH238 unto me, O my nationH3816: for a lawH8451 shall proceedH3318 from me, and I will make my judgmentH4941 to restH7280 for a lightH216 of the peopleH5971. 5My righteousnessH6664 is nearH7138; my salvationH3468 is gone forthH3318, and mine armsH2220 shall judgeH8199 the peopleH5971; the islesH339 shall waitH6960 upon me, and on mine armH2220 shall they trustH3176 . 6Lift upH5375 your eyesH5869 to the heavensH8064, and lookH5027 upon the earthH776 beneath: for the heavensH8064 shall vanish awayH4414 like smokeH6227, and the earthH776 shall wax oldH1086 like a garmentH899, and they that dwellH3427 therein shall dieH4191 in likeH3644 mannerH3654: but my salvationH3444 shall be for everH5769, and my righteousnessH6666 shall not be abolishedH2865 . 7HearkenH8085 unto me, ye that knowH3045 righteousnessH6664, the peopleH5971 in whose heartH3820 is my lawH8451; fearH3372 ye not the reproachH2781 of menH582, neither be ye afraidH2865 of their revilingsH1421. 8For the mothH6211 shall eat them upH398 like a garmentH899, and the wormH5580 shall eatH398 them like woolH6785: but my righteousnessH6666 shall be for everH5769, and my salvationH3444 from generationH1755 to generationH1755. 9AwakeH5782, awakeH5782, put onH3847 strengthH5797, O armH2220 of the LORDH3068; awakeH5782, as in the ancientH6924 daysH3117, in the generationsH1755 of oldH5769. Art thou not it that hath cutH2672 RahabH7294, and woundedH2490 the dragonH8577? 10Art thou not it which hath driedH2717 the seaH3220, the watersH4325 of the greatH7227 deepH8415; that hath madeH7760 the depthsH4615 of the seaH3220 a wayH1870 for the ransomedH1350 to pass overH5674 ? 11Therefore the redeemedH6299 of the LORDH3068 shall returnH7725, and comeH935 with singingH7440 unto ZionH6726; and everlastingH5769 joyH8057 shall be upon their headH7218: they shall obtainH5381 gladnessH8342 and joyH8057; and sorrowH3015 and mourningH585 shall flee awayH5127 . 12I, even I, am he that comfortethH5162 you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraidH3372 of a manH582 that shall dieH4191, and of the sonH1121 of manH120 which shall be madeH5414 as grassH2682; 13And forgettestH7911 the LORDH3068 thy makerH6213, that hath stretched forthH5186 the heavensH8064, and laid the foundationsH3245 of the earthH776; and hast fearedH6342 continuallyH8548 every dayH3117 becauseH6440 of the furyH2534 of the oppressorH6693, as ifH834 he were readyH3559 to destroyH7843 ? and where is the furyH2534 of the oppressorH6693 ? 14The captive exileH6808 hastenethH4116 that he may be loosedH6605, and that he should not dieH4191 in the pitH7845, nor that his breadH3899 should failH2637 . 15But I am the LORDH3068 thy GodH430, that dividedH7280 the seaH3220, whose wavesH1530 roaredH1993 : The LORDH3068 of hostsH6635 is his nameH8034. 16And I have putH7760 my wordsH1697 in thy mouthH6310, and I have coveredH3680 thee in the shadowH6738 of mine handH3027, that I may plantH5193 the heavensH8064, and lay the foundationsH3245 of the earthH776, and sayH559 unto ZionH6726, Thou art my peopleH5971. 17AwakeH5782, awakeH5782, stand upH6965, O JerusalemH3389, which hast drunkH8354 at the handH3027 of the LORDH3068 the cupH3563 of his furyH2534; thou hast drunkenH8354 the dregsH6907 of the cupH3563 of tremblingH8653, and wrung them outH4680 . 18There is none to guideH5095 her among all the sonsH1121 whom she hath brought forthH3205 ; neither is there any that takethH2388 her by the handH3027 of all the sonsH1121 that she hath brought upH1431 . 19These twoH8147 things are comeH7122 unto thee; who shall be sorryH5110 for thee? desolationH7701, and destructionH7667, and the famineH7458, and the swordH2719: by whom shall I comfortH5162 thee? 20Thy sonsH1121 have faintedH5968, they lieH7901 at the headH7218 of all the streetsH2351, as a wild bullH8377 in a netH4364: they are fullH4392 of the furyH2534 of the LORDH3068, the rebukeH1606 of thy GodH430. 21Therefore hearH8085 now this, thou afflictedH6041, and drunkenH7937, but not with wineH3196: 22Thus saithH559 thy LordH113 the LORDH3068, and thy GodH430 that pleadethH7378 the cause of his peopleH5971, Behold, I have taken outH3947 of thine handH3027 the cupH3563 of tremblingH8653, even the dregsH6907 of the cupH3563 of my furyH2534; thou shalt no moreH3254 drink it againH8354 : 23But I will putH7760 it into the handH3027 of them that afflictH3013 thee; which have saidH559 to thy soulH5315, Bow downH7812, that we may go overH5674 : and thou hast laidH7760 thy bodyH1460 as the groundH776, and as the streetH2351, to them that went overH5674 .
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE FAITHFUL REMNANT OF ISRAEL TO TRUST IN GOD FOR DELIVERANCE, BOTH FROM THEIR LONG BABYLONIAN EXILE, AND FROM THEIR PRESENT DISPERSION. (Isa. 51:1-23)
me--the God of your fathers.
ye . . . follow after righteousness--the godly portion of the nation;
Isa 51:7 shows this (
Pro 15:9;
1Tim 6:11). "Ye follow righteousness," seek it therefore from Me, who "bring it near," and that a righteousness "not about to be abolished" (
Isa 51:6-
Isa 51:7); look to Abraham, your father (
Isa 51:2), as a sample of how righteousness before Me is to be obtained; I, the same God who blessed him, will bless you at last (
Isa 51:3); therefore trust in Me, and fear not man's opposition (
Isa 51:7-
Isa 51:8,
Isa 51:12-
Isa 51:13). The mistake of the Jews, heretofore, has been, not in that they "followed after righteousness," but in that they followed it "by the works of the law," instead of "by faith," as Abraham did (
Rom 9:31-
Rom 9:32;
Rom 10:3-
Rom 10:4;
Rom 4:2-
Rom 4:5).
hole of . . . pit--The idea is not, as it is often quoted, the inculcation of humility, by reminding men of the fallen state from which they have been taken, but that as Abraham, the quarry, as it were (compare
Isa 48:1), whence their nation was hewn, had been called out of a strange land to the inheritance of Canaan, and blessed by God, the same God is able to deliver and restore them also (compare
Matt 3:9).
2 alone--translate, "I called him when he was but one" (
Ezek 33:24). The argument is: the same God who had so blessed "one" individual, as to become a mighty nation (
Gen 12:1;
Gen 22:7), can also increase and bless the small remnant of Israel, both that left in the Babylonish captivity, and that left in the present and latter days (
Zech 14:2); "the residue" (
Isa 13:8-
Isa 13:9).
3 For--See for the argument, see on
Isa 51:2.
the garden of the Lord--restoration of the primeval paradise (
Gen 2:8;
Ezek 28:13;
Rev 2:7).
melody--Hebrew, "psalm." God's praises shall again be heard.
4 my people--the Jews. This reading is better than that of GESENIUS: "O peoples . . . nations," namely, the Gentiles. The Jews are called on to hear and rejoice in the extension of the true religion to the nations; for, at the first preaching of the Gospel, as in the final age to come, it was from Jerusalem that the gospel law was, and is, to go forth (
Isa 2:3).
law . . . judgment--the gospel dispensation and institutions (
Isa 42:1, "judgment").
make . . . to rest--establish firmly; found.
light, &c.-- (
Isa 42:6).
5 righteousness . . . near--that is, faithful fulfilment of the promised deliverance, answering to "salvation" in the parallel clause (
Isa 46:13;
Isa 56:1;
Rom 10:8-
Rom 10:9). Ye follow after "righteousness"; seek it therefore, from Me, and you will not have far to go for it (
Isa 51:1).
arms--put for Himself; I by My might.
judge-- (
Isa 2:3-
Isa 2:4;
Ps 98:9).
isles, &c.-- (
Isa 60:9).
arm-- (
Rom 1:16), "the power of God unto (the Gentiles as well as the Jews) salvation."
6 (
Isa 40:6,
Isa 40:8;
Ps 102:26;
Heb 1:11-
Heb 1:12).
vanish away--literally, "shall be torn asunder," as a garment [MAURER]; which accords with the context.
in like manner--But GESENIUS, "Like a gnat"; like the smallest and vilest insect. JEROME translates, as English Version, and infers that "in like manner" as man, the heavens (that is, the sky) and earth are not to be annihilated, but changed for the better (
Isa 65:17).
righteousness--My faithfully fulfilled promise (see on
Isa 51:5).
7 know righteousness--(See on
Isa 51:1).
8 (See on
Isa 50:9;
Job 4:18-
Job 4:20). Not that the moth eats men up, but they shall be destroyed by as insignificant instrumentality as the moth that eats a garment.
9 Impassioned prayer of the exiled Jews.
ancient days-- (
Ps 44:1).
Rahab--poetical name for Egypt (see on
Isa 30:7).
dragon--Hebrew, tannin. The crocodile, an emblem of Egypt, as represented on coins struck after the conquest of Egypt by Augustus; or rather here, "its king," Pharaoh (see on
Isa 27:1;
Ps 74:13-
Ps 74:14;
Ezek 32:2, Margin;
Ezek 29:3).
10 it--the arm.
Art not Thou the same Almighty power that . . . ? dried the sea--the Red Sea (
Isa 43:16;
Exod 14:21).
11 (
Isa 35:10).
Therefore--assurance of faith; or else the answer of Jehovah corresponding to their prayer. As surely as God redeemed Israel out of Egypt, He shall redeem them from Babylon, both the literal in the age following, and mystical in the last ages (
Rev 18:20-
Rev 18:21). There shall be a second exodus (
Isa 11:11-
Isa 11:16;
Isa 27:12-
Isa 27:13).
singing--image from the custom of singing on a journey when a caravan is passing along the extended plains in the East.
everlasting joy-- (
Jude 1:24).
sorrow . . . flee away-- (
Rev 21:4).
12 comforteth-- (
Isa 51:3;
Isa 40:1).
thou--Zion.
son of man--frail and dying as his parent Adam.
be made as grass--wither as grass (
Isa 40:6-
Isa 40:7).
13 (
Isa 40:12,
Isa 40:26,
Isa 40:28), the same argument of comfort drawn from the omnipotence of the Creator.
as if . . . ready, &c.--literally, "when he directs," namely, his arrow, to destroy (
Ps 21:12;
Ps 7:13;
Ps 11:2) [MAURER].
14 captive exile--literally, one bowed down as a captive (
Isa 10:4) [MAURER]. The scene is primarily Babylon, and the time near the close of the captivity. Secondarily, and antitypically, the mystical Babylon, the last enemy of Israel and the Church, in which they have long suffered, but from which they are to be gloriously delivered.
pit--such as were many of the ancient dungeons (compare
Jer 38:6,
Jer 38:11,
Jer 38:13;
Gen 37:20).
nor . . . bread . . . fail-- (
Isa 33:16;
Jer 37:21).
15 divided . . . sea--the Red Sea. The same Hebrew word as "make to rest" (
Isa 51:4). Rather, "that terrify the sea," that is, restrain it by My rebuke, "when its waves roar" [GESENIUS]. The Hebrew favors MAURER, "that terrify the sea so that the waves roar." The sense favors GESENIUS (
Jer 5:22;
Jer 31:35), or English Version (
Isa 51:9-
Isa 51:10, which favors the special reference to the exodus from Egypt).
16 Addressed to Israel, embodied in "the servant of Jehovah" (
Isa 42:1), Messiah, its ideal and representative Head, through whom the elect remnant is to be restored.
put my words in thy mouth--true of Israel, the depository of true religion, but fully realized only in Israel's Head and antitype, Messiah (
Isa 49:2;
Isa 50:4-
Isa 50:5;
Isa 59:21;
Deut 18:18;
John 3:34).
covered . . . in . . . shadow of . . . hand--protected thee (see on
Isa 49:2).
plant--rather, "fix" as a tabernacle; so it ought to be rendered (
Dan 11:45). The "new creation," now going on in the spiritual world by the Gospel (
Eph 2:10), and hereafter to be extended to the visible world, is meant (
Isa 65:17;
Isa 66:22; compare
Isa 13:13;
2Pet 3:10-13).
Zion--Its restoration is a leading part in the new creation to come (
Isa 65:17,
Isa 65:19).
17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, &c.-- (
Isa 52:1).
drunk--Jehovah's wrath is compared to an intoxicating draught because it confounds the sufferer under it, and makes him fall (
Job 21:20;
Ps 60:3;
Ps 75:8;
Jer 25:15-
Jer 25:16;
Jer 49:12;
Zech 12:2;
Rev 14:10); ("poured out without mixture"; rather, "the pure wine juice mixed with intoxicating drugs").
of trembling--which produced trembling or intoxication.
wrung . . . out--drained the last drop out; the dregs were the sediments from various substances, as honey, dates, and drugs, put into the wine to increase the strength and sweetness.
18 Following up the image in
Isa 51:17, intoxicated and confused by the cup of God's anger, she has none to guide her in her helpless state; she has not yet awakened out of the sleep caused by that draught. This cannot apply to the Babylonish captivity; for in it they had Ezekiel and Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah, as "guides," and soon awoke out of that sleep; but it applies to the Jews now, and will be still more applicable in their coming oppression by Antichrist.
19 two--classes of evils, for he enumerates four, namely, desolation and destruction to the land and state; famine and the sword to the people.
who shall be sorry for thee--so as to give thee effectual relief: as the parallel clause, "By whom shall I comfort thee?" shows (
Lam 2:11-
Lam 2:13).
20 head of all . . . streets-- (
Lam 2:19;
Lam 4:1).
wild bull--rather, "oryx" [JEROME], or gazelle [GESENIUS], or wild goat [BOCHART]; commonly in the East taken in a net, of a wide sweep, into which the beasts were hunted together. The streets of cities in the East often have gates, which are closed at night; a person wishing to escape would be stopped by them and caught, as a wild animal in a net.
21 drunken . . . not with wine-- (
Isa 29:9; compare
Isa 51:17,
Isa 51:20, here;
Lam 3:15).
22 pleadeth . . . cause-- (
Ps 35:1;
Jer 50:34;
Mic 7:9).
no more drink it-- (
Isa 54:7-
Isa 54:9). This cannot apply to Israel after the return from Babylon, but only to them after their final restoration.
23 (
Isa 49:26;
Jer 25:15-
Jer 25:29;
Zech 12:2).
Bow down that . . . go over--Conquerors often literally trod on the necks of conquered kings, as Sapor of Persia did to the Roman emperor Valerian (
Josh 10:24;
Ps 18:40;
Ps 66:11-
Ps 66:12).
Zion long in bondage (
Isa 51:17-
Isa 51:20) is called to put on beautiful garments appropriate to its future prosperity.