16 And I have put H7760 my words H1697 in thy mouth, H6310 and I have covered H3680 thee in the shadow H6738 of mine hand, H3027 that I may plant H5193 the heavens, H8064 and lay the foundations H3245 of the earth, H776 and say H559 unto Zion, H6726 Thou art my people. H5971
As for me, this is my covenant H1285 with them, saith H559 the LORD; H3068 My spirit H7307 that is upon thee, and my words H1697 which I have put H7760 in thy mouth, H6310 shall not depart H4185 out of thy mouth, H6310 nor out of the mouth H6310 of thy seed, H2233 nor out of the mouth H6310 of thy seed's H2233 seed, H2233 saith H559 the LORD, H3068 from henceforth and for H5704 ever. H5769
For as the new H2319 heavens H8064 and the new H2319 earth, H776 which I will make, H6213 shall remain H5975 before H6440 me, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 so shall your seed H2233 and your name H8034 remain. H5975
The Lord H136 GOD H3069 hath given H5414 me the tongue H3956 of the learned, H3928 that I should know H3045 how to speak H5790 a word H1697 in season to him that is weary: H3287 he wakeneth H5782 morning H1242 by morning, H1242 he wakeneth H5782 mine ear H241 to hear H8085 as the learned. H3928
For thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 that created H1254 the heavens; H8064 God H430 himself that formed H3335 the earth H776 and made H6213 it; he hath established H3559 it, he created H1254 it not in vain, H8414 he formed H3335 it to be inhabited: H3427 I am the LORD; H3068 and there is none else.
The earth H776 and all the inhabitants H3427 thereof are dissolved: H4127 I bear up H8505 the pillars H5982 of it. Selah. H5542
I G1473 speak G2980 that which G3739 I have seen G3708 with G3844 my G3450 Father: G3962 and G2532 ye G5210 do G4160 that G3767 which G3739 ye have seen G3708 with G3844 your G5216 father. G3962 They answered G611 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 Abraham G11 is G2076 our G2257 father. G3962 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto them, G846 If G1487 ye were G2258 Abraham's G11 children, G5043 ye would do G4160 G302 the works G2041 of Abraham. G11 But G1161 now G3568 ye seek G2212 to kill G615 me, G3165 a man G444 that G3739 hath told G2980 you G5213 the truth, G225 which G3739 I have heard G191 of G3844 God: G2316 this G5124 did G4160 not G3756 Abraham. G11
The Revelation G602 of Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 which G3739 God G2316 gave G1325 unto him, G846 to shew G1166 unto his G846 servants G1401 things which G3739 must G1163 shortly G1722 G5034 come to pass; G1096 and G2532 he sent G649 and signified G4591 it by G1223 his G846 angel G32 unto his G846 servant G1401 John: G2491
Nevertheless G1161 we, G4328 according to G2596 his G846 promise, G1862 look for G4328 new G2537 heavens G3772 and G2532 a new G2537 earth, G1093 wherein G1722 G3739 dwelleth G2730 righteousness. G1343
For G3754 this G3778 is the covenant G1242 that G3739 I will make G1303 with the house G3624 of Israel G2474 after G3326 those G1565 days, G2250 saith G3004 the Lord; G2962 I will put G1325 my G3450 laws G3551 into G1519 their G846 mind, G1271 and G2532 write G1924 them G846 in G1909 their G846 hearts: G2588 and G2532 I will be G2071 to G1519 them G846 a God, G2316 and G2532 they G846 shall be G2071 to G1519 me G3427 a people: G2992
For G3754 I have given G1325 unto them G846 the words G4487 which G3739 thou gavest G1325 me; G3427 and G2532 they G846 have received G2983 them, and G2532 have known G1097 surely G230 that G3754 I came out G1831 from G3844 thee, G4675 and G2532 they have believed G4100 that G3754 thou G4771 didst send G649 me. G3165
And I will bring H935 the third part H7992 through the fire, H784 and will refine H6884 them as silver H3701 is refined, H6884 and will try H974 them as gold H2091 is tried: H974 they shall call H7121 on my name, H8034 and I will hear H6030 them: I will say, H559 It is my people: H5971 and they shall say, H559 The LORD H3068 is my God. H430
But this shall be the covenant H1285 that I will make H3772 with the house H1004 of Israel; H3478 After H310 those days, H3117 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 I will put H5414 my law H8451 in their inward parts, H7130 and write H3789 it in their hearts; H3820 and will be their God, H430 and they shall be my people. H5971
For, behold, I create H1254 new H2319 heavens H8064 and a new H2319 earth: H776 and the former H7223 shall not be remembered, H2142 nor come H5927 into mind. H3820
To appoint H7760 unto them that mourn H57 in Zion, H6726 to give H5414 unto them beauty H6287 for ashes, H665 the oil H8081 of joy H8342 for mourning, H60 the garment H4594 of praise H8416 for the spirit H7307 of heaviness; H3544 that they might be called H7121 trees H352 of righteousness, H6664 the planting H4302 of the LORD, H3068 that he might be glorified. H6286
Thy people H5971 also shall be all righteous: H6662 they shall inherit H3423 the land H776 for ever, H5769 the branch H5342 of my planting, H4302 the work H4639 of my hands, H3027 that I may be glorified. H6286
The sons H1121 also of them that afflicted H6031 thee shall come H1980 bending H7817 unto thee; and all they that despised H5006 thee shall bow themselves down H7812 at the soles H3709 of thy feet; H7272 and they shall call H7121 thee, The city H5892 of the LORD, H3068 The Zion H6726 of the Holy One H6918 of Israel. H3478 Whereas H8478 thou hast been forsaken H5800 and hated, H8130 so that no man went through H5674 thee, I will make H7760 thee an eternal H5769 excellency, H1347 a joy H4885 of many H1755 generations. H1755
Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 In an acceptable H7522 time H6256 have I heard H6030 thee, and in a day H3117 of salvation H3444 have I helped H5826 thee: and I will preserve H5341 thee, and give H5414 thee for a covenant H1285 of the people, H5971 to establish H6965 the earth, H776 to cause to inherit H5157 the desolate H8074 heritages; H5159
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Isaiah 51
Commentary on Isaiah 51 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 51
This chapter is designed for the comfort and encouragement of those that fear God and keep his commandments, even when they walk in darkness and have no light. Whether it was intended primarily for the support of the captives in Babylon is not certain, probably it was; but comforts thus generally expressed ought not to be so confined. Whenever the church of God is in distress her friends and well-wishers may comfort themselves and one another with these words,
The first three paragraphs of this chapter begin with, "Hearken unto me,' and they are God's people that are all along called to hearken; for even when comforts are spoken to them sometimes they "hearken not, through anguish of spirit' (Ex. 6:9); therefore they are again and again called to hearken (v. 1, 4, 7). The two other paragraphs of this chapter begin with "Awake, awake;' in the former (v. 9) God's people call upon him to awake and help them; in the latter (v. 17) God calls upon them to awake and help themselves.
Isa 51:1-3
Observe,
Isa 51:4-8
Both these proclamations, as I may call them, end alike with an assurance of the perpetuity of God's righteousness and his salvation; and therefore we put them together, both being designed for the comfort of God's people. Observe,
Isa 51:9-16
In these verses we have,
Isa 51:17-23
God, having awoke for the comfort of his people, here calls upon them to awake, as afterwards, ch. 52:1. It is a call to awake not so much out of the sleep of sin (though that also is necessary in order to their being ready for deliverance) as out of the stupor of despair. When the inhabitants of Jerusalem were in captivity they, as well as those who remained upon the spot, were so overwhelmed with the sense of their troubles that they had no heart or spirit to mind any thing that tended to their comfort or relief; they were as the disciples in the garden, sleeping for sorrow (Lu. 22:45), and therefore, when the deliverance came, they are said to have been like those that dream, Ps. 136:1. Nay, it is a call to awake, not only from sleep, but from death, like that to the dry bones to live, Eze. 37:9. "Awake, and look about thee, that thou mayest see the day of thy deliverance dawn, and mayest be ready to bid it welcome. Recover thy senses; sink not under thy load, but stand up, and bestir thyself for thy own help.' This may be applied to the Jerusalem that was in the apostle's time, which is said to have been in bondage with her children (Gal. 4:25), and to have been under the power of a spirit of slumber (Rom. 11:8); they are called to awake, and mind the things that belonged to their everlasting peace, and then the cup of trembling should be taken out of their hands, peace should be spoken to them, and they should triumph over Satan, who had blinded their eyes and lulled them asleep. Now,