Westminster Annotations, Isaiah · Chapter 41
CHAP. XLI.
Vers. 1. KEep silence before me] Heb. to me. With silence hearken to me. Chap. 49. 1. God, as standing up to plead his own cause with all nations, commandeth silence, that he may be heard. Job 29. 9, 10.
O Islands] Or, Lands. Vers. 5. Chap. 20. 6. & 40. 15.
let the people renew their strength] Heb. change, or, double. Chap. 40. 31. Eccl. 8. 1. Let them make all the power and support they can, in behalf of their idols.
V. 2. Who raised up, &c.] Which of your idols? Vers. 26. or, who but my self called Abraham, that just man, from the Eastern parts of the world, from Chaldea and Syria, (lying to the East of Canaan, Chap. 2. 6. & 9. 12. 2 King. 13. 17.) Gen. 11. 31. & 12. 1. Josh. 24. 2, 3. to go to and fro, as a servant, at my command? Gen. 30. 30. Matth. 8. 9. Or, raised up Cyrus from Persia, lying East from Babylon; Chap. 46. 11. and led him along in his course; Jud. 4. 10. and made him a conquerour? Chap. 45. 1.
the righteous man] Heb. righteousnesse; for a righteous one, a man of righteousnesse; as Prov. 12. 27. Mic. 6 9. or, one in righteousnesse. Chap. 45. 13 to manifest his righteousnesse, in fulfilling his promises, and righting the wrongs done to his people. Chap. 1. 27. & 46. 13.
gave the nations before him] A description, as some, of the victory that Abraham obtained against those four Kings, Gen. 14. 14, 15. or, rather, of the conquests atchieved by Cyrus of sundrie nations and their Kings. Chap. 45. 1.
made him rule over] Or, subdue. Chap. 40. 10. & 45. 1.
he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his how] Or, whose sword made them as dust, and his bow as driven stubble. So that he beat them as to dust. Psal. 18. 42. Or, they were no more able to stand before his forces, then small dust, or drie stubble before a whirl-winde. Psal. 1. 4. & 35. 5. and 83. 13. vers. 15, 16. Chap. 40. 24. Jerem. 13. 24. Sword and bow] the warlike weapons then most in use. Gen. 48. 22. Psal. 44 3, 6. Chap. 21. 15. the one to smite with at hand, the other at distance. Psal. 37. 14.
V. 3. safely] Heb. in peace. 2 Sam. 3. 21. without any notable disturbance, or resistance; as Exod. 11. 7.
by the way that he had not gone] Not turning back, as Senacherib, the same way that he went, by flight. Chap. 37. 29, 34. Or, passing through such places, as he had not formerly been acquainted with. Jer. 2. 17.
V. 4. Who hath wrought, &c.] Who hath done all this, but I? who created man at first, and continue the race of mankinde? Gen. 1. 27, 28. Act. 17. 26, 28.
the beginning] Heb. head. Chap. 40. 21.
the first, and with the last] Who have ever been, and for ever shall be. Psal. 90. 2. Chap. 43. 10. & 44. 6. & 48. 12. Revel. 1. 17. & 22. 13.
I am he] Or, I am. Chap. 43. 13. John 8. 58. or, I am the same. Psal. 102. 27.
V. 5. The Isles] Or, countreys. Vers. 1. Chap. 42. 10. The lands of the idolatrous nations, enemies to God and his Church; put here for the inhabitants: as vers. 1. Chap. 42. 4.
and feared] Considering my wonderfull works done for my people, they feared that their idolatry would go down.
the ends of the earth] Those that dwell in the remotest parts of the known world. Psal. 65. 8. vers. 9. Jer. 50. 26.
drew near] Assembled themselves, and conspired against me, to maintain their idolatry.
V. 6. They helped] Chap. 40. 19.
every one his neighbour] Or, one another. Gen. 11. 3. Jer. 31. 34.
every one said to his brother] Or, they said one to another. Gen. 26. 31. Jer. 34. 17.
Be of good courage] Heb. Be strong. Psal. 27. 14. & 31. 24. Encouraging each other to stick close to the businesse. Psal. 64. 5.
V. 7. the goldsmith] Or, finer: or, founder. Chap. 40. 19. & 46. 6.
he that smootheth] The silver or gold plates. Jer. 10. 9. Ch. 40. 19.
him that smote the anvil] Or, the smiting: or, him that beateth out the metall on the anvill.
saying, It is ready for the sodering] Or, saying of (as Chap. 38. 15.) the soder, (wherewith the plates that cover it, Chap. 40. 19. are to be sodered) It is good.
not be moved) From the post or wall that it is fastened unto. Chap. 40. 20. & 46. 7.
V. 8. my servant] And therefore, neither oughtest to pollute thy self with idols, nor needest to fear them. Jerem. 10. 2, 11.
I have chosen] Deut. 7. 6. & 10. 15. & 14 2. Psal. 135. 4. Chap. 43. 1. & 44. 1.
my friend] Whom I loved, Deut. 4. 37. and who loved me entirely, Gen. 22. 12. and with whom I entred a league of amitie, Gen. 12. 2, 3. & 15. 1. & 17. 1, 2. 2 Chron. 20. 7. Jam. 2. 23. Thus is God a friend, even to the issue of his friend. Exod. 20. 6. Psal. 37. 26. & 115. 13, 14.
V. 9. I have taken] In Abraham thy progenitor; as Jud. 2 1. Heb. 7. 9, 10.
from the ends of the earth] From a remote countrey. Vers. 5. from Chaldea. Chap. 39. 3. Gen. 11. 31.
the chief men thereof] Of the countrey that before he lived in. Gen. 12. 1.
my servant] Vers. Chap. 44. 1.
chosen thee] Vers. 8. Chap. 48. 10.
and not cast thee away] Or, will not cast thee off. 1 Sam. 12. 22. Psal. 94. 14.
V. 10. Fear not thou] Chap. 37. 6. & 43. 1. Jer. 1. 17, 18. Act. 18 9, 10. vers. 13.
with the right hand of my righteousnesse] Or, by my righteous right-hand. Chap. 45. 23. The force of my power: in the exercise whereof I shall shew my self just and faithfull. Psal. 17. 8, 14.
V. 11. shall be ashamed, &c.] Exod. 23. 22. Chap. 45. 24. & 60. 12. Zech. 12. 3.
as nothing] Shall come to nothing; or, be as a thing of nought. Vers. 12. Psal. 39. 5.
they that strive with thee] Heb. the men of thy strife; or, thy men of strife. Job 31. 35.
V. 12. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not finde them] They shall be so destroyed, that thou shalt wonder to think what is become of them. Psal. 9. 5, 6. & 37. 36.
them that contended with thee] Heb. the men of thy contention; or, thy men of contention.
they that warre against thee] Heb. the men of thy warre; or, thy men of warre. not that warre with thee, that is, for thee, but, that maintain warre with thee, or against thee.
V. 13. hold thy right hand] Hold thee by the hand, to keep thee up. Psal. 63. 8. & 73. 23. Chap. 42. 6. & 45. 1. Or, strengthen thy right hand, and enable thee to prevail. Psal. 80. 17. Ezek. 30. 25. Hos. 7. 15.
Fear not] I am. 3. 57. Vers. 10.
V. 14. thou worm] In the worlds estimation a contemptible creature. Psal. 22. 6. Job 25. 6.
men] Or, few men. Jer. 44. 28.
V. 15. a new sharp threshing-instrument] Such as they used to thresh their corn with. Chap. 28. 25, 28. Mic 4. 13.
having teeth] Heb. a master, or, owner of mouths. (as Dan. 8. 6.) that is furnished with iron spokes or teeth. Chap. 28. 28.
thresh the mountains] See Judg. 8. 7. 2 King. 13. 7. Amos 1. 3. I will make thee able to destroy all thine enemies, be they never so mighty. Zech. 4. 7. fulfilled principally in the Kingdome of Christ. Dan. 2 34, 35, 44, 45. 2 Cor. 10 4, 5.
as chaff] Vers. 2. Psal. 18. 42.
V. 16. Thou shalt fanne them] Disperse them, and make an utter riddance of them. Jer. 4. 11. & 15. 7. & 51. 1, 2.
and] Or, but; as Chap. 7. 1. & 29. 13.
V. 17. When the poor and needy seek water] When my people, detained in the Babylonian captivitie, Zech. 9. 11. or by the way in their return from thence through waste places, vers 18, 19. shall be in distresse for want of water; or any other of my distressed ones want the water of consolation. Chap. 12. 3. John 4. 10. & 7. 37.
will not forsake them] Gen. 28. 15. Josh. 1. 5. 1 Sam 12. 22. Heb. 13. 5.
V. 18. I will open rivers in high places, &c.] He will rather alter the course of nature, then any thing shall …e wanting to them, who in their necessities seek faithfully unto him. Psal. 34. 10. & 107. 35. & 145. 18, 19. Chap. 35. 7. & 44. 3.
the drie land] Heb. land of drinesse. Psal. 63. 1.
V. 19. I will plant in the wildernesse, &c.] Heb. give in the wildernesse. That they may want no manner or means of refreshing by the way, in their return from Babylon. Chap. 40. 3. & 55▪ 13.
the shittah-tree] A kinde of cedar, as is thought. See Exod. 25. 10.
the oyl-tree] Or, olive-tree; whose fruit yeeldeth oyl. Exod. 32. 24. Judg. 9. 9. Rom. 11. 17.
the firre-tree] Chap. 60. 13.
V. 20. that the hand of the LORD hath done this] Psalm. 109. 27.
hath created it] Hath appointed it so to bee. Chapter 37. 26.
V. 21. Produce] Heb. Cause to come near. Chap. 46. 13.
bring forth your strong reasons] He challengeth idolaters to produce the strongest pleas they can, and to prove the truth of their religion from the like works done by those whom they adore; as before, vers. 1. 2.
V. 22. shew us what shall happen] And their idols, to shew, what they can foretell, or effect, or have formerly effected. Chap. 44. 7. & 45. 20, 21. & 46. 10. & 48. 14.
consider them] Heb. set our heart upon them. Hag. 1. 5. 7.
declare us] Heb. make us to hear; vers. 26. Psal. 51. 8.
V. 24. Behold, &c.] Wherein because they fail, he concludeth them to be no true gods, but vile and base Idols. Jer. 10. 5. & 14. 22. Zech. 10. 1, 2.
of nothing] Or, worse then nothing.
nothing] 1 Cor. 8. 4.
your work] Vers. 29.
of nought] Or, worse then of a viper. Chap. 30. 6.
an abomination] Or, abominable.
that chooseth you] To worship as Gods. Chap. 44. 17.
V. 25. I have raised] Or, will raise.
one from the north] Nebuchadnezzar from the North, Jerem. 1. 13, 15. & 4. 6. and Cyrus from the East, vers. 2. shewing that both their captivitie, and deliverie out of it▪ were ordered by Gods appointment. Or, Cyrus with his forces raised partly of the Medes, which lay more Northerly, Jer. 50. 3, 9. partly of the Persians, that lay to the East of Babylon. Chap. 46. 11. Or, Christ; who should gather his dispersed from all parts of the world. Psal. 107. 3. Chap. 43 5, 6. & 49. 12. Matth. 8. 11. John 11 52.
shall he call upon my Name] Or, one that shall proclaim my name; as Exod. 33. 19. See 2 Chron. 36. 22, 23. Ezr. 1. 1, 2.
princes] Such princes as God shall subdue unto him, vers. 2. Chap. 45. 1.
as upon morter] Psal 18. 42.
as the potter treadeth clay] Nahum 3. 14.
V. 26. Who hath declared] Which of your idols can, either foretell, or do the like? vers. 2. 22. Chap. 45. 21. & 48. 14.
from the beginning] Heb. head. Chap. 48. 16.
He is righteous] Or, He is to be justified and approved. Chap. 43. 9. Deut. 25. 1.
that declareth] Heb. maketh to hear, vers. 22.
none that heareth your words] Any thing at all from you; because ye cannot speak. Psal. 115 5. & 136. 16. Or any such thing from you, by your priests and interpreters. Chap. 47 12, 13.
V. 27. The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them, and I will give to Jerusalem &c.] Or, I the first say. Vers. 4. or, I said first; or, I will give a prime one to Zion, who shall say, Lo, Lo, here the things are, (See Chap 65. 1.) and to Jerusalem, &c. Either God saith it himself, and will make it good; or, he will appoint his anointed to do it; Christ chiefly, Psal. 2. 1. and Cyrus a type of him. Chap. 45. 1.
behold them] The things foretold you, now effected; temporally by Cyrus, spiritually by Christ.
one that bringeth good tydings] See Chap. 40. 1, 9. & 52. 7.
V. 28. I behold] God speaketh, as a Judge addressing himself to passe sentences, when none appeareth to plead or maintain the matter in controversie: as if he had said, I see ye are not able to speak or produce ought in your own defence, nor any other in your behalf; and therefore I conclude against you, that ye are all nothing but meer vanitie. Psal. 107 42, 43. Matth. 22. 12, 13.
no man] Or, not any. Chap. 40. 26.
counseller] Chap. 45. 21.
answer] Heb. return a word. Job 13. 22.
V. 29. all vanitie] Jer. 10. 3.
works are nothing] Vers. 24.