Commentaires bibliques

Isa 44:1-28.

CONTINUATION OF THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER.

1-5. Yet--Though thou hast sinned, yet hear God's gracious promise as to thy deliverance.

chosen--

(Isa 41:8).

2.

(Isa 43:1, 7).

formed . . . from . . . womb--(So

Isa 44:24; Isa 49:1, 5).

The sense is similar to that in

Isa 1:2,

"I have nourished and brought up children."

Jesurun--A diminutive term of endearment applied to Israel. The full title of affection was Israelun; contracted it became Jeshurun, with an allusion to the Hebrew root, jashar, "upright," "perfect" (see on

Isa 42:19,

note on "He that is perfect") [GESENIUS],

(De 32:15).

3.

(Isa 41:18).

him . . . thirsty--rather, "the land"

(Isa 35:6, 7),

figuratively for man thirsting after righteousness

(Mt 5:6).

floods--the abundant influences of the Holy Spirit, stronger than "water."

spirit--including all spiritual and temporal gifts, as the parallel, "blessing," proves

(Isa 11:2; 32:15).

seed--

(Isa 59:21).

4. they--thy "seed" and "offspring"

(Isa 44:3).

as among--needlessly inserted in English Version. Rather, "The seed shall spring up as willows among the grass beside canals of water" [HORSLEY]. Or, "They shall spring up among the grass (that is, luxuriantly; for what grows in the midst of grass grows luxuriantly) as willows by the water-courses," which makes the parallel clauses better balanced [MAURER].

5. The third clause answers in parallelism to the first, the fourth to the second.

I am the Lord's--

(Jer 50:5; 1Co 6:19, 20; 2Co 8:5).

call himself by the name of Jacob--The Gentiles (as the result of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Israel, the Lord's "seed," first) shall join themselves to the children of Jacob, in order to worship their God (compare

Isa 43:7; Ps 49:11).

Or, "calls," that is, invokes and celebrates the name of Jacob, attaches himself to his nation and religion [MAURER],

(Ps 24:6).

subscribe . . . hand unto . . . Lord--in solemn and public covenant, pledging himself to God's service (compare

Ne 9:38),

before "witnesses"

(Heb 12:1),

after the manner of a civil contract

(Jer 32:10, 12, 44).

So the Christian in the sacraments [BARNES]. Literally, "shall fill his hand with letters

(Ex 32:15; Eze 2:10)

in honor of Jehovah"; or "shall write upon his hand, I am Jehovah's" (compare

Isa 49:16; Re 13:16);

alluding to the puncture with ink on the hand, whereby a soldier marked himself as bound to his commander; and whereby the Christians used to mark themselves with the name of Christ [LOWTH]. The former view is simpler.

surname himself . . . Israel--MAURER and GESENIUS interpret this as the Hebrew sanctions, answering to their rendering of the parallel second clause, "calls blandly (speaks in honorable terms of) the name of Israel." Retaining English Version, we must, from the Hebrew understand it thus, "Surname himself by the honorable name of Israel"

(Isa 45:4).

6. Here follows an argument for Jehovah, as the only God, and against the idols, as vanity (see on

Isa 41:4;

Isa 43:1;

Isa 43:10-12).

7. Who but God can predict future events and declare also the order and time of each (see on

Isa 41:22, 23;

Isa 45:21)?

call--"openly proclaim"

(Isa 40:6)

things to come [MAURER]. Or, "call forth" the event; command that it happen

(Isa 46:11; 48:15),

[BARNES].

set . . . in order--There is no chance or confusion; all events occur in the order best fitted to subserve God's plans.

for me--It is FOR GOD that all things exist and take place

(Re 4:11).

But MAURER translates, "Let him set it forth

(Job 37:19)

to me."

since . . . ancient people--I have given the Jews predictions of the future ever since I appointed them as My people in ancient times; therefore they were qualified to be His witnesses

(Isa 44:8).

As to their being God's "ancient (everlasting) people," see

De 32:7-9; Jer 31:3;

the type of the redeemed Church

(Eph 1:4).

8. be afraid--literally, "be astounded," or "distracted with fear."

from that time--namely, from the time that "I appointed the ancient people"

(Isa 44:7).

From the time of Abraham's call, his family were the depositories of the predictions of the Redeemer, whereas the promise of Cyrus was not heard of till Isaiah's time; therefore, the event to the prediction and accomplishment of which God appeals in proof of His sole Godhead, is the redemption of man by a descendant of Abraham, in whose person "the ancient people" was first formally "appointed." The deliverance of the Jews, by Cyrus, is mentioned afterwards only as an earnest of that greater mercy [HORSLEY].

no God--Hebrew, tsur, "rock"

(De 32:4);

that is, a stronghold to take refuge in, and a solid foundation to build on.