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<p id="Chapter41" align="center">Commentary by A. R. FAUSSET<br >CHAPTER 41
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<p id="Isa41_1"><a onclick="return mV('Isa',41,'1-29');">Isa 41:1-29</a>. 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.
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<p><b>1.</b> (<a onclick="return mV('Zec',2,13);">Zec 2:13</a>). God is about to argue the case; therefore let the nations listen in reverential silence. Compare <a onclick="return mV('Gen',28,16,17);">Gen 28:16-17</a>, as to the spirit in which we ought to behave before God.
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<br><br><b>before me</b>—rather (turning), "towards me" [MAURER].
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<br><br><b>islands</b>—including <i>all regions beyond sea</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',25,22);">Jer 25:22</a>), maritime regions, not merely isles in the strict sense.
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<br><br><b>renew...strength</b>—Let them gather their strength for the argument; let them <i>adduce their strongest arguments</i> (compare <a onclick="return mV('Isa',1,18);">Isa 1:18</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Job',9,32);">Job 9:32</a>). "Judgment" means here, to decide the point at issue between us.
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<p id="Isa41_2"><b>2. Who</b>—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.
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<br><br><b>the righteous man</b>—Cyrus; as <a onclick="return mV('Isa',44,28);">Isa 44:28</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',45,'1-4',13);">45:1-4, 13</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',46,11);"> 46:11</a>, "from the <i>East,</i>" prove. Called "righteous," not so much on account of his own equity [HERODOTUS, 3.89], as because he fulfilled <i>God's</i> righteous will in restoring the Jews from their unjust captivity. <i>Raised him up in righteousness.</i> The <i>Septuagint</i> takes the <i>Hebrew</i> as a noun "righteousness." MAURER translates, "Who raised up him whom salvation (national and temporal, the gift of God's 'righteousness' to the good, <a onclick="return mV('Isa',32,17);">Isa 32:17</a>; compare <a onclick="return mV('Isa',45,8);">Isa 45:8</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',51,5);">51:5</a>) meets at his foot" (that is, wherever he goes). Cyrus is said to come <i>from the East,</i> because Persia is east of Babylon; but in <a onclick="return mV('Isa',41,25);">Isa 41:25</a>, <i>from the north,</i> in reference to Media. At the same time the full sense of <i>righteousness,</i> or <i>righteous,</i> and of the whole passage, is realized only in Messiah, Cyrus' antitype (Cyrus <i>knew not</i> God, <a onclick="return mV('Isa',45,4);">Isa 45:4</a>). He goes forth as the Universal Conqueror of the "nations," in righteousness making war (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',2,8,9);">Psa 2:8-9</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Rev',19,'11-15');">Rev 19:11-15</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Rev',6,2);">6:2</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Rev',2,26,27);">2:26-27</a>). "The idols He shall utterly abolish" (compare <a onclick="return mV('Isa',7,23);">Isa 7:23</a>, with <a onclick="return mV('Isa',2,18);">Isa 2:18</a>). 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.
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<br><br><b>called...to...foot</b>—called him to attend His (God's) steps, that is, follow His guidance. In <a onclick="return mV('Ezr',1,2);">Ezr 1:2</a>, 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).
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<br><br><b>dust</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',17,13);">Isa 17:13</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',29,5);">29:5</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Psa',18,42);">Psa 18:42</a>). Persia, Cyrus' country, was famed for the use of the "bow" (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',22,6);">Isa 22:6</a>). "Before him" means "gave them <i>into his power</i>" (<a onclick="return mV('Jos',10,12);">Jos 10:12</a>). MAURER translates, "Gave his (the enemy's) sword to be dust, and his (the enemy's) bow to be as stubble" (<a onclick="return mV('Job',41,26,29);">Job 41:26, 29</a>).
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<p id="Isa41_3"><b>3.</b> 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.
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<p id="Isa41_4"><b>4. Who</b>—else but God?
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<br><br><b>calling...generations from...beginning</b>—The origin and position of all nations are from God (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',32,8);">Deu 32:8</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Act',17,26);">Act 17:26</a>); what is true of Cyrus and his conquests is true of all the movements of history <i>from the first;</i> all are from God.
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<br><br><b>with the last</b>—that is the last (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',44,6);">Isa 44:6</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',48,12);">48:12</a>).
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<p id="Isa41_5"><b>5. feared</b>—that they would be subdued.
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<br><br><b>drew near, and came</b>—together, for mutual defense.
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<p id="Isa41_6"><b>6. Be of good courage</b>—Be not alarmed because of Cyrus, but make new images to secure the favor of the gods against him.
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<p id="Isa41_7"><b>7.</b> One workman encourages the other to be quick in finishing the idol, so as to avert the impending danger.
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<br><br><b>nails</b>—to keep it steady in its place. <u>Wisdom 13:15, 16,</u> gives a similar picture of the folly of idolatry.
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<p id="Isa41_8"><b>8.</b> 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.
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<br><br><b>servant</b>—so termed as being chosen by God to worship Him themselves, and to lead other peoples to do the same (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',45,4);">Isa 45:4</a>).
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<br><br><b>Jacob...chosen</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',135,4);">Psa 135:4</a>).
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<br><br><b>my friend</b>—literally, "loving me."
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<p id="Isa41_9"><b>9.</b> Abraham, the father of the Jews, taken from the remote Ur of the Chaldees. Others take it of Israel, called out of Egypt (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',4,37);">Deu 4:37</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Hsa',11,1);">Hsa 11:1</a>).
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<br><br><b>from the chief men</b>—literally, "the elbows"; so <i>the joints;</i> hence <i>the root</i> which joins the tree to the earth; figuratively, those of ancient and <i>noble</i> stock. But the parallel clause "ends of the earth" favors GESENIUS, who translates, "the <i>extremities</i> of the earth"; so JEROME.
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<p id="Isa41_10"><b>10. be not dismayed</b>—literally, anxiously <i>to look at one another</i> in dismay.
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<br><br><b>right hand of my righteousness</b>—that is, My right hand prepared in accordance with My righteousness (faithfulness to My promises) to uphold thee.
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<p id="Isa41_11"><b>11. ashamed</b>—put to the shame of defeat (compare <a onclick="return mV('Isa',54,17);">Isa 54:17</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Rom',9,33);">Rom 9:33</a>).
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<p id="Isa41_12"><b>12. seek...and...not find</b>—said of one so utterly put out of the way that not a trace of him can be found (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',37,36);">Psa 37:36</a>).
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<br><br><b>thing of naught</b>—shall utterly perish.
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<p id="Isa41_13"><b>13.</b> (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',33,26, 29);">Deu 33:26, 29</a>).
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<p id="Isa41_14"><b>14. worm</b>—in a state of contempt and affliction, whom all loathe and tread on, the very expression which Messiah, on the cross, applies to <i>Himself</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',22,6);">Psa 22:6</a>), 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].
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<br><br><b>men</b>—The parallelism requires the word "men" here to have associated with it the idea of <i>fewness</i> or <i>feebleness.</i> LOWTH translates, "Ye <i>mortals</i> of Israel." The <i>Septuagint,</i> "altogether diminutive." MAURER supports <i>English Version,</i> which the <i>Hebrew</i> text best accord with.
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<br><br><b>the Lord</b>—in general.
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<br><br><b>and thy redeemer</b>—in particular; a still stronger reason why He should "help" them.
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<p id="Isa41_15"><b>15.</b> God will make Israel to destroy their enemies as the Eastern corn-drag (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',28,27,28);">Isa 28:27-28</a>) bruises out the grain with its teeth, and gives the chaff to the winds to scatter.
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<br><br><b>teeth</b>—serrated, so as to cut up the straw for fodder and separate the grain from the chaff.
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<br><br><b>mountains...hills</b>—kingdoms more or less powerful that were hostile to Israel (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',2,14);">Isa 2:14</a>).
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<p id="Isa41_16"><b>16. fan</b>—winnowed (compare <a onclick="return mV('Mat',3,12);">Mat 3:12</a>).
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<br><br><b>whirlwind...scatter them</b>— (<a onclick="return mV('Job',27,21);">Job 27:21</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Job',30,22);">30:22</a>).
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<p id="Isa41_17"><b>17. poor and needy</b>—primarily, the exiles in Babylon.
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<br><br><b>water</b>—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 (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',30,25);">Isa 30:25</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',43,3);">44:3</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Jhn',7,'37-39');">Jhn 7:37-39</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Jhn',4,14);">4:14</a>). God wrought no miracles that we read of, in any wilderness, during the return from Babylon.
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<br><br><b>faileth</b>—rather, "<i>is rigid</i>" or parched [HORSLEY].
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<p id="Isa41_18"><b>18.</b> Alluding to the waters with which Israel was miraculously supplied in the desert after having come out of Egypt.
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<br><br><b>high places</b>—bare of trees, barren, and unwatered (<a onclick="return mV('Jer',4,11);">Jer 4:11</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Jer',14,6);">14:6</a>). "High places...valleys" spiritually express that in <i>all</i> circumstances, whether <i>elevated</i> or <i>depressed,</i> God's people will have refreshment for their souls, however little to be expected it might seem.
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<p id="Isa41_19"><b>19.</b> (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',32,15);">Isa 32:15</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',55,13);">55:13</a>).
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<br><br><b>shittah</b>—rather, the "acacia," or Egyptian thorn, from which the gum Arabic is obtained [LOWTH].
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<br><br><b>oil tree</b>—the olive.
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<br><br><b>fir tree</b>—rather, the "cypress": grateful by its shade.
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<br><br><b>pine</b>—GESENIUS translates, "the holm."
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<br><br><b>box tree</b>—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.
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<p id="Isa41_20"><b>20. consider</b>—literally, "lay it (to hear)"; turn (their attention) to it. "They" refers to <i>all lands</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',41,1);">Isa 41:1</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Psa',64,9);">Psa 64:9</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Psa',40,3);">40:3</a>). The effect on the Gentiles of God's open interposition hereafter in behalf of Israel shall be, they shall seek Israel's God (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',2,3);">Isa 2:3</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Zec',8,'21-23');">Zec 8:21-23</a>).
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<p id="Isa41_21"><b>21.</b> A new challenge to the idolaters (see <a onclick="return mV('Isa',41,1,7);">Isa 41:1, 7</a>,) to say, can their idols <i>predict future events</i> as Jehovah can (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',41,'22-25');">Isa 41:22-25</a>, etc.)?
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<br><br><b>your strong reasons</b>—the reasons for idol-worship which you think especially strong.
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<p id="Isa41_22"><b>22. what shall happen</b>—"Let them <i>bring near and declare future contingencies</i>" [HORSLEY].
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<br><br><b>former things...the latter end of them</b>—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") (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',42,9);">Isa 42:9</a>), [MAURER]. BARNES explains it more reconditely, "Let them foretell the <i>entire series</i> of events, showing, in their <i>order,</i> the things which shall <i>first</i> occur, as well as those which shall <i>finally</i> happen"; the false prophets tried to predict isolated events, having no mutual dependency; not a long <i>series</i> of events mutually and orderly connected, and stretching far into futurity. They did not even <i>try</i> to do this. None but God can do it (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',46,10);">Isa 46:10</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Isa',44,7,8);">44:7-8</a>). "Or...things to come" will, in this view, mean, Let them, if they cannot predict the <i>series,</i> even predict plainly <i>any detached</i> events.
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<p id="Isa41_23"><b>23. do good...evil</b>—give any proof at all of your power, either to reward your friends or punish your enemies (<a onclick="return mV('Psa',115,'2-8');">Psa 115:2-8</a>).
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<br><br><b>that we may be dismayed, and behold it together</b>—MAURER translates, "That we (Jehovah and the idols) may look one another in the face (that is, encounter one another, <a onclick="return mV('2Ki',14,8,11);">2Ki 14:8, 11</a>), and see" our respective powers by a trial. HORSLEY translates, "Then the moment we behold, we shall be dismayed." "We" thus, and in <i>English Version,</i> refers to Jehovah and His worshippers.
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<p id="Isa41_24"><b>24. of nothing</b>—(See on JFB for <a href="./Comm/jfb/Isa/Isa040.html#Isa40_17">Isa 40:17</a>). The <i>Hebrew</i> text is here corrupt; so <i>English Version</i> treats it.
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<br><br><b>abomination</b>—abstract for concrete: not merely <i>abominable,</i> but the <i>essence</i> of whatever is so (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',18,12);">Deu 18:12</a>).
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<br><br><b>chooseth you</b>—as an object of worship.
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<p id="Isa41_25"><b>25. raised up</b>—in purpose: not fulfilled till a hundred fifty years afterwards.
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<br><br><b>north</b>—In <a onclick="return mV('Isa',41,2);">Isa 41:2</a>, "from the East"; both are true: see the note there.
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<br><br><b>call...my name</b>—acknowledge Me as God, and attribute his success to Me; this he did in the proclamation (<a onclick="return mV('Ezr',1,2);">Ezr 1:2</a>). 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, <a onclick="return mV('2Ki',5,'1-27');">2Ki 5:1-27</a>; compare <a onclick="return mV('2Ki',17,33);">2Ki 17:33, 41</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Dan',3,28);">Dan 3:28</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Dan',4,'1-3','34-37');">4:1-3, 34-37</a>).
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<br><br><b>princes</b>—the Babylonian satraps or governors of provinces.
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<br><br><b>mortar</b>—"mire"; He shall tread them under foot as dirt (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',10,6);">Isa 10:6</a>).
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<p id="Isa41_26"><b>26. Who</b>—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.
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<br><br><b>beforetime</b>—before the event occurred.
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<br><br><b>He is righteous</b>—rather, "It is true"; it was a true prophecy, as the event shows. "He is righteous," in <i>English Version,</i> must be interpreted, The fulfilment of the idol's words proves that <i>he is faithful.</i>
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<br><br><b>showeth,</b> etc.—rather, "there was none (of the soothsayers) that showed...declared—no one has heard your words" foretelling the event.
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<p id="Isa41_27"><b>27.</b> Rather, "I first will give to Zion and to Jerusalem the messenger of good tidings, Behold, behold them!" The clause, "Behold...them" (<i>the wished-for event is now present</i>) 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 <a onclick="return mV('Isa',40,9);">Isa 40:9</a>). None of the idols had foretold these events. Jehovah was the "first" to do so (see <a onclick="return mV('Isa',41,4);">Isa 41:4</a>).
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<p id="Isa41_28"><b>28. no counsellor</b>—no one of the idolatrous soothsayers who could <i>inform</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Num',24,14);">Num 24:14</a>) <i>those who consulted</i> them what would take place. Compare "<i>counsel</i> of His messenger" (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',44,26);">Isa 44:26</a>).
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<br><br><b>when I asked</b>—that is, challenged them, in this chapter.
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<p id="Isa41_29"><b>29. confusion</b>—"emptiness" [BARNES].
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