1 Listen, islands, to me; and listen, you peoples, from far: Yahweh has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has he made mention of my name: 2 and he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand, he has hidden me: and he has made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he kept me close: 3 and he said to me, "You are my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified." 4 But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice (due) to me is with Yahweh, and my reward with my God." 5 Now says Yahweh who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered to him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Yahweh, and my God is become my strength); 6 yes, he says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth." 7 Thus says Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, (and) his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Yahweh who is faithful, (even) the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." 8 Thus says Yahweh, "In an acceptable time have I answered you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage: 9 saying to those who are bound, 'Come out!'; to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves!' "They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture. 10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them: for he who has mercy on them will lead them, even by springs of water he will guide them. 11 I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. 12 Behold, these shall come from far; and behold, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim." 13 Sing, heavens; and be joyful, earth; and break forth into singing, mountains: for Yahweh has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his afflicted. 14 But Zion said, "Yahweh has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me." 15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you! 16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. 17 Your children make haste; your destroyers and those who made you waste shall go forth from you. 18 Lift up your eyes all around, and see: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. As I live," says Yahweh, "you shall surely clothe yourself with them all as with an ornament, and dress yourself with them, like a bride. 19 "For, as for your waste and your desolate places, and your land that has been destroyed, surely now you shall be too small for the inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up shall be far away. 20 The children of your bereavement shall yet say in your ears, The place is too small for me; give place to me that I may dwell. 21 Then you will say in your heart, 'Who has conceived these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering back and forth? Who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where were they?'" 22 Thus says the Lord Yahweh, "Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my banner to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. 23 Kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers: they shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am Yahweh; and those who wait for me shall not be disappointed." 24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered? 25 But thus says Yahweh, "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children. 26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
In the chapters which precede this, the deliverance from Babylon has been the main subject of the prophecy. There has been, indeed, decided reference in many places to the Messiah and his times: but the primary idea has been the restoration from Babylon. In this chapter, it has been commonly supposed that the Messiah is introduced directly and personally, and that there is a primary reference to him and his work. There has been, indeed, great difference of opinion among interpreters on this point; but the common sentiment has been, that the chapter has a direct reference to him. Some of the opinions which have been held may be briefly referred to as introductory to the exposition of the chapter - since the exposition of the whole charter will be affected by the view which is taken of its primary and main design. This statement will be abridged from Hengstenberg (Christology, vol. i.)
1. According to some, the people of Israel are here introduced as speaking. This is the opinion of Paulus, Doderlin, and Rosenmuller. The argument on which Rosenmuller relies is, that in Isaiah 49:3, the speaker is expressly called 'Israel.' According to this idea, the whole people are represented as a prophet who is here introduced as speaking; who had labored in vain; and who, though Israel was not to be gathered, was in future times to be the instructor of the whole world Isaiah 49:4-6. Yet this interpretation is forced and unnatural. To say nothing of the impropriety of representing the collected Jewish people as a prophet - an idea not to be found elsewhere; according to this interpretation, the people are represented as laboring in vain, when as yet they had made no effort for the conversion of the pagan, and, in Isaiah 49:5, this same people, as a prophet, is represented as 'not gathered,' and then, in Isaiah 49:6, turning to the Gentiles in order to be a light to them, and for salvation to the ends of the earth. It should be added, also, that even the ancient Jewish commentators who have applied Isaiah 53:1-12 to the Jewish people, have not ventured on such an interpretation hera The only argument on which Rosenmuller relies in favor of this interpretation - that drawn from the fact that the name 'Israel' is given to the speaker - will be considered in the notes at Isaiah 49:3.
2. According to others, the prophet here refers to himself. This opinion was held by Jarchi, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, Grotius, and, among recent interpreters, by Koppe, Hensler and Staudlin. But this interpretation has little probability. It is incredible that the prophet should speak of himself as the light of the pagan world. The speaker represents himself as not satisfied Isaiah 49:6 that the Jewish people should be given to him, but as sent for the salvation of the ends of the earth. Before this same individual who thus speaks, and who is rejected and despised by the Jewish people, kings and princes are represented as prostrating themselves with the deepest reverence Isaiah 49:7. But it is certain that Isaiah never formed any such extravagant expectations for himself. Besides, there is the same objection to applying the name 'Israel' Isaiah 49:3 to the prophet Isaiah which there is to the Messiah.
3. Gesenius supposes that this refers, not to the prophet Isaiah alone, but to the collective body of the prophets, as represented by him. But to this view also there are insuperable objections.
(1) Everything in the statement here proves that the subject is an individual, and not a mere personification. The personal pronouns are used throughout (see Isaiah 49:1-2, Isaiah 49:4, etc.), and the whole aspect of the account is that relating to an individual. It would be as proper to regard a statement made anywhere respecting an individual as referring to some collective body, as to interpret this in this manner.
(2) The prophets taken collectively cannot hear the name 'Israel' Isaiah 49:3; and even Gesenius admits this, and in order to evade the force of it, denies the genuineness of the word 'Israel' in the third verse.
(3) The prophets nowhere represent themselves as called to exert an influence on the pagan world, but their representation is, that the pagan would be converted by the Messiah.
4. The only other opinion which has been extensively held, is that which refers the chapter directly to the Messiah. This was the opinion of the Christian fathers generally, and is the opinion of Lowth, Vitringa, Calvin, Hengstenberg, and of most modern interpreters. The particular reasons for this opinion will be more clearly seen in the notes at the chapter itself, particularly Isaiah 49:1-9. In favor of this interpretation it may be observed in general:
(1) That if the other interpretations which have been referred to are unfounded, it follows as a matter of course that it must have reference to the Messiah.
(2) The accurate agreement of the words and phrases in the prophecy with the character of the Redeemer, as developed in the New Testament, proves the same thing.
(3) It is referred to the times of the Messiah in Acts 13:47, and in 2-Corinthians 6:2.
The chapter may be contemplated under the following division of parts, or subjects, namely,:
I. The Messiah is introduced as himself speaking, and stating the object of his mission, and his rejection by the Jewish nation, and the fact that he would be for a light to the Gentiles Isaiah 49:1-6. This portion consists of the following subjects:
1. The exordium, in which he calls the distant nations to hear his voice Isaiah 49:1.
2. His call to the office of the Messiah, and his qualifications for the work Isaiah 49:1-3. He was called from the womb Isaiah 49:1; he was eminently endowed for the work, as a sharp sword, or a polished shaft is for battle Isaiah 49:2; he was the selected servant of God, by whom he designed to be glorified Isaiah 49:3.
3. The want of success in his work Isaiah 49:4. He had labored in vain, yet he could commit his cause to God with the certainty of entire future success, and with the assurance of the divine approbation.
4. His future success would be glorious Isaiah 49:5-6. He would yet gather in the tribes of Israel, and be for a light to the pagan world, and for salvation to the ends of the earth.
II. A direct promise from Yahweh to the Messiah of ultimate success in his work Isaiah 49:7-12.
1. Men would indeed despise and reject him.
2. Yet kings and princes would arise and honor him Isaiah 49:7.
3. Yahweh had heard him, and would yet give him for a covenant to the world; a mediator to recover the earth back to himself Isaiah 49:8.
4. He would lead forth the prisoners, and those who sat in darkness Isaiah 49:9 : he would protect and provide for them so that the sun should not smite them, and so that their needs should be supplied Isaiah 49:10 : he would remove all obstructions front their path, and would level mountains and exalt valleys Isaiah 49:11 : and his followers would come from far, from a distant land Isaiah 49:12.
III. A song of praise in view of the glorious results of the work of the Messiah Isaiah 49:13.
IV. Zion is comforted with the assurance that God had not forgotten her Isaiah 49:14-21.
1. Zion had said that Yahweh had forgotten her, and left her to suffer alone without pity or compassion Isaiah 49:14.
2. God assures her that he could no more forget her than a mother could forget her child Isaiah 49:15.
3. He had engraven her name on the palms of his hands Isaiah 49:16.
4. All her enenmies and destroyers would flee away Isaiah 49:17.
5. She would be yet decorated and adorned as a bride, instead of being desolate Isaiah 49:18; and would be greatly increased and enlarged by accessions from the Gentile world, so that the place where she dwelt would be too strait for her Isaiah 49:19-21.
V. God would extend salvation, with all its blessings, to the Gentiles. Kings and queens would become the patrons of the church of God, and all the foes of himself and his cause be destroyed Isaiah 49:22-26.
In this chapter the Messiah is introduced, declaring the full extent of his commission, which is not only to be Savior to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles. The power and efficacy of his word is reprehended by apt images; the ill success of his ministry among the Jews is intimated, and the great success of the Gospel among the Gentiles, Isaiah 49:1-12. But the prophet, then casting his eye on the happy, though distant, period of Israel's restoration, makes a beautiful apostrophe to the whole creation to shout forth the praises of God on the prospect of this remarkable favor, Isaiah 49:13. The tender mercies of God to his people, with the prosperity of the Church in general, and the final overthrow of all its enemies, make the subject of the remaining verses, Isaiah 49:14-26.
INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 49
This is a prophecy concerning Christ, and redemption by him; and of the enlargement of the church in the latter day, by the conversion of Jews and Gentiles; which the isles, and people afar off, are exhorted to listen and hearken to, delivered out by the prophet, in the person of Christ; who gives an account of his call to his office, and the time of it; of what the Lord did for him, and said unto him, Isaiah 49:1, then follows a complaint of his labouring in vain, and a correction of it, Isaiah 49:4 and a further declaration of his call and appointment to office, and of each of the parts of the work assigned him, with encouragement to it, Isaiah 49:5. Christ is again represented under discouraging circumstances, as despised of men, abhorred by the nation, and a servant of rulers; who is encouraged by divine promises that kings should rise up before him, and worship him; that God would be faithful to his promise to him, and yet choose him, hear and help him, at a proper time; preserve him, and give him for a covenant to the people, to the establishment of the earth, and making it habitable, Isaiah 49:7 for the release of prisoners, and feeding, leading, and guiding them, and removing all difficulties out of the way, Isaiah 49:9 when the calling of the Gentiles is foretold, which would occasion great joy in the world, Isaiah 49:12 yet the church is introduced as complaining that she was forsaken of God, Isaiah 49:14 which is denied, and the contrary affirmed; being dear to the Lord as a sucking child to its mother, and more so; never forgotten by him, and always under his care, Isaiah 49:16, and, for her comfort, she is assured that those who had destroyed and made her waste should be removed; and that she should have converts that would be an ornament to her, and these numerous, insomuch that the place of their habitation would be too strait and narrow, and which would be matter of astonishment to her, Isaiah 49:17 and, besides those that would be converted in the land of Judea, there would be great numbers in the Gentile world converted by the power of God accompanying his Gospel, set up as a standard there, kings and queens countenancing and encouraging the interest of Christ, Isaiah 49:22 and yet still it is questioned whether the church should be delivered from her oppressors, Isaiah 49:24 to which it is answered, that she should be delivered, and her persecutors destroyed; by which it would be known that the Lord is the Redeemer and Saviour of his people, Isaiah 49:25.
(Isaiah 49:1-6) The unbelief and rejection of the Jews.
(Isaiah 49:7-12) Gracious promise to the Gentiles.
(Isaiah 49:13-17) God's love to the church.
(Isaiah 49:18-23) Its increase.
(Isaiah 49:24-26) And deliverance.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.