13 Behold, my servant H5650 shall deal prudently, H7919 he shall be exalted H7311 and extolled, H5375 and be very H3966 high. H1361
And G2532 Jesus G2424 came G4334 and spake G2980 unto them, G846 saying, G3004 All G3956 power G1849 is given G1325 unto me G3427 in G1722 heaven G3772 and G2532 in G1909 earth. G1093
Behold my servant, H5650 whom I uphold; H8551 mine elect, H972 in whom my soul H5315 delighteth; H7521 I have put H5414 my spirit H7307 upon him: he shall bring forth H3318 judgment H4941 to the Gentiles. H1471
Who G3739 being G5607 the brightness G541 of his glory, G1391 and G2532 the express image G5481 of his G846 person, G5287 and G5037 upholding G5342 all things G3956 by the word G4487 of his G846 power, G1411 when he had G4160 G2512 by G1223 himself G1438 purged G4160 G2512 our G2257 sins, G266 sat down G2523 on G1722 the right hand G1188 of the Majesty G3172 on G1722 high; G5308
But G235 made G2758 himself G1438 of no reputation, G2758 and took upon him G2983 the form G3444 of a servant, G1401 and was made G1096 in G1722 the likeness G3667 of men: G444 And G2532 being found G2147 in fashion G4976 as G5613 a man, G444 he humbled G5013 himself, G1438 and became G1096 obedient G5255 unto G3360 death, G2288 even G1161 the death G2288 of the cross. G4716 Wherefore G1352 God G2316 also G2532 hath highly exalted G5251 him, G846 and G2532 given G5483 him G846 a name G3686 which G3588 is above G5228 every G3956 name: G3686 That G2443 at G1722 the name G3686 of Jesus G2424 every G3956 knee G1119 should bow, G2578 of things in heaven, G2032 and G2532 things in earth, G1919 and G2532 things under the earth; G2709 And G2532 that every G3956 tongue G1100 should confess G1843 that G3754 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 is Lord, G2962 to G1519 the glory G1391 of God G2316 the Father. G3962
Hear H8085 now, O Joshua H3091 the high H1419 priest, H3548 thou, and thy fellows H7453 that sit H3427 before H6440 thee: for they are men H582 wondered at: H4159 for, behold, I will bring forth H935 my servant H5650 the BRANCH. H6780
Yet it pleased H2654 the LORD H3068 to bruise H1792 him; he hath put him to grief: H2470 when thou shalt make H7760 his soul H5315 an offering for sin, H817 he shall see H7200 his seed, H2233 he shall prolong H748 his days, H3117 and the pleasure H2656 of the LORD H3068 shall prosper H6743 in his hand. H3027 He shall see H7200 of the travail H5999 of his soul, H5315 and shall be satisfied: H7646 by his knowledge H1847 shall my righteous H6662 servant H5650 justify H6663 many; H7227 for he shall bear H5445 their iniquities. H5771
For unto us a child H3206 is born, H3205 unto us a son H1121 is given: H5414 and the government H4951 shall be upon his shoulder: H7926 and his name H8034 shall be called H7121 Wonderful, H6382 Counsellor, H3289 The mighty H1368 God, H410 The everlasting H5703 Father, H1 The Prince H8269 of Peace. H7965 Of the increase H4766 of his government H4951 and peace H7965 there shall be no end, H7093 upon the throne H3678 of David, H1732 and upon his kingdom, H4467 to order H3559 it, and to establish H5582 it with judgment H4941 and with justice H6666 from henceforth even for H5704 ever. H5769 The zeal H7068 of the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 will perform H6213 this.
For G1063 G3761 the Father G3962 judgeth G2919 no man, G3762 but G235 hath committed G1325 all G3956 judgment G2920 unto the Son: G5207 That G2443 all G3956 men should honour G5091 the Son, G5207 even as G2531 they honour G5091 the Father. G3962 He that honoureth G5091 not G3361 the Son G5207 honoureth G5091 not G3756 the Father G3962 which G3588 hath sent G3992 him. G846
And G2532 I beheld, G1492 and, G2532 lo, G2400 in G1722 the midst G3319 of the throne G2362 and G2532 of the four G5064 beasts, G2226 and G2532 in G1722 the midst G3319 of the elders, G4245 stood G2476 a Lamb G721 as G5613 it had been slain, G4969 having G2192 seven G2033 horns G2768 and G2532 seven G2033 eyes, G3788 which G3739 are G1526 the seven G2033 Spirits G4151 of God G2316 sent forth G649 into G1519 all G3956 the earth. G1093 And G2532 he came G2064 and G2532 took G2983 the book G975 out of G1537 the right hand G1188 of him that sat G2521 upon G1909 the throne. G2362 And G2532 when G3753 he had taken G2983 the book, G975 the four G5064 beasts G2226 and G2532 four G5064 and twenty G1501 elders G4245 fell down G4098 before G1799 the Lamb, G721 having G2192 every one of them G1538 harps, G2788 and G2532 golden G5552 vials G5357 full G1073 of odours, G2368 which G3739 are G1526 the prayers G4335 of saints. G40 And G2532 they sung G103 a new G2537 song, G5603 saying, G3004 Thou art G1488 worthy G514 to take G2983 the book, G975 and G2532 to open G455 the seals G4973 thereof: G846 for G3754 thou wast slain, G4969 and G2532 hast redeemed G59 us G2248 to God G2316 by G1722 thy G4675 blood G129 out of G1537 every G3956 kindred, G5443 and G2532 tongue, G1100 and G2532 people, G2992 and G2532 nation; G1484 And G2532 hast made G4160 us G2248 unto our G2257 God G2316 kings G935 and G2532 priests: G2409 and G2532 we shall reign G936 on G1909 the earth. G1093 And G2532 I beheld, G1492 and G2532 I heard G191 the voice G5456 of many G4183 angels G32 round about G2943 the throne G2362 and G2532 the beasts G2226 and G2532 the elders: G4245 and G2532 the number G706 of them G846 was G2258 ten thousand G3461 times ten thousand, G3461 and G2532 thousands G5505 of thousands; G5505 Saying G3004 with a loud G3173 voice, G5456 Worthy G514 is G2076 the Lamb G721 that was slain G4969 to receive G2983 power, G1411 and G2532 riches, G4149 and G2532 wisdom, G4678 and G2532 strength, G2479 and G2532 honour, G5092 and G2532 glory, G1391 and G2532 blessing. G2129 And G2532 every G3956 creature G2938 which G3739 is G2076 in G1722 heaven, G3772 and G2532 on G1722 the earth, G1093 and G2532 under G5270 the earth, G1093 and G2532 such as G3739 are G2076 in G1909 the sea, G2281 and G2532 all G3956 that are in G1722 them, G846 heard I G191 saying, G3004 Blessing, G2129 and G2532 honour, G5092 and G2532 glory, G1391 and G2532 power, G2904 be unto him that sitteth G2521 upon G1909 the throne, G2362 and G2532 unto the Lamb G721 for G1519 ever G165 and ever. G165
Which G3739 he wrought G1754 in G1722 Christ, G5547 when he raised G1453 him G846 from G1537 the dead, G3498 and G2532 set G2523 him at G1722 his own G846 right hand G1188 in G1722 the heavenly G2032 places, Far above G5231 all G3956 principality, G746 and G2532 power, G1849 and G2532 might, G1411 and G2532 dominion, G2963 and G2532 every G3956 name G3686 that is named, G3687 not G3756 only G3440 in G1722 this G5129 world, G165 but G235 also G2532 in G1722 that which is to come: G3195 And G2532 hath put G5293 all G3956 things under G5259 his G846 feet, G4228 and G2532 gave G1325 him G846 to be the head G2776 over G5228 all G3956 things to the church, G1577 Which G3748 is G2076 his G846 body, G4983 the fulness G4138 of him that filleth G4137 all G3956 in G1722 all. G3956
For thus saith H559 the high H7311 and lofty One H5375 that inhabiteth H7931 eternity, H5703 whose name H8034 is Holy; H6918 I dwell H7931 in the high H4791 and holy H6918 place, with him also that is of a contrite H1793 and humble H8217 spirit, H7307 to revive H2421 the spirit H7307 of the humble, H8217 and to revive H2421 the heart H3820 of the contrite ones. H1792
And now, saith H559 the LORD H3068 that formed H3335 me from the womb H990 to be his servant, H5650 to bring H7725 Jacob H3290 again H7725 to him, Though Israel H3478 be not gathered, H622 yet shall I be glorious H3513 in the eyes H5869 of the LORD, H3068 and my God H430 shall be my strength. H5797 And he said, H559 It is a light thing H7043 that thou shouldest be my servant H5650 to raise up H6965 the tribes H7626 of Jacob, H3290 and to restore H7725 the preserved H5341 H5336 of Israel: H3478 I will also give H5414 thee for a light H216 to the Gentiles, H1471 that thou mayest be my salvation H3444 unto the end H7097 of the earth. H776 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 the Redeemer H1350 of Israel, H3478 and his Holy One, H6918 to him whom man H5315 despiseth, H960 to him whom the nation H1471 abhorreth, H8581 to a servant H5650 of rulers, H4910 Kings H4428 shall see H7200 and arise, H6965 princes H8269 also shall worship, H7812 because of the LORD H3068 that is faithful, H539 and the Holy One H6918 of Israel, H3478 and he shall choose H977 thee.
Listen, H8085 O isles, H339 unto me; and hearken, H7181 ye people, H3816 from far; H7350 The LORD H3068 hath called H7121 me from the womb; H990 from the bowels H4578 of my mother H517 hath he made mention H2142 of my name. H8034
And the spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 shall rest H5117 upon him, the spirit H7307 of wisdom H2451 and understanding, H998 the spirit H7307 of counsel H6098 and might, H1369 the spirit H7307 of knowledge H1847 and of the fear H3374 of the LORD; H3068 And shall make him of quick understanding H7306 in the fear H3374 of the LORD: H3068 and he shall not judge H8199 after the sight H4758 of his eyes, H5869 neither reprove H3198 after the hearing H4926 of his ears: H241
[[A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 The LORD H3068 said H5002 unto my Lord, H113 Sit H3427 thou at my right hand, H3225 until I make H7896 thine enemies H341 thy footstool. H1916 H7272 The LORD H3068 shall send H7971 the rod H4294 of thy strength H5797 out of Zion: H6726 rule H7287 thou in the midst H7130 of thine enemies. H341
Yet have I set H5258 my king H4428 upon my holy H6944 hill H2022 of Zion. H6726 I will declare H5608 the decree: H2706 the LORD H3068 hath said H559 unto me, Thou art my Son; H1121 this day H3117 have I begotten H3205 thee. Ask H7592 of me, and I shall give H5414 thee the heathen H1471 for thine inheritance, H5159 and the uttermost parts H657 of the earth H776 for thy possession. H272 Thou shalt break H7489 them with a rod H7626 of iron; H1270 thou shalt dash them in pieces H5310 like a potter's H3335 vessel. H3627
Only be thou strong H2388 and very H3966 courageous, H553 that thou mayest observe H8104 to do H6213 according to all the law, H8451 which Moses H4872 my servant H5650 commanded H6680 thee: turn H5493 not from it to the right hand H3225 or to the left, H8040 that thou mayest prosper H7919 whithersoever thou goest. H3212 This book H5612 of the law H8451 shall not depart H4185 out of thy mouth; H6310 but thou shalt meditate H1897 therein day H3119 and night, H3915 that thou mayest observe H8104 to do H6213 according to all that is written H3789 therein: for then thou shalt make H6743 thy way H1870 prosperous, H6743 and then thou shalt have good success. H7919
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Isaiah 52
Commentary on Isaiah 52 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 52
Isa 52:1-15. First through Thirteen Verses Connected with Fifty-first Chapter.
Zion long in bondage (Isa 51:17-20) is called to put on beautiful garments appropriate to its future prosperity.
1. strength—as thy adornment; answering to "beautiful garments" in the parallel clause. Arouse thyself from dejection and assume confidence.
the holy city—(Ne 11:1; Re 21:2).
no more … unclean—(Isa 35:8; 60:21; Joe 3:17; Re 21:27). A prophecy never yet fulfilled.
uncircumcised—spiritually (Eze 44:9; Ac 7:51).
2. from the dust—the seat of mourners (Job 2:12, 13).
arise, and sit—namely, in a more dignified place: on a divan or a throne [Lowth], after having shaken off the dust gathered up by the flowing dress when seated on the ground; or simply, "Arise, and sit erect" [Maurer].
bands of … neck—the yoke of thy captivity.
3. As you became your foes' servants, without their paying any price for you (Jer 15:13), so they shall release you without demanding any price or reward (Isa 45:13), (where Cyrus is represented as doing so: a type of their final restoration gratuitously in like manner). So the spiritual Israel, "sold under sin," gratuitously (Ro 7:14), shall be redeemed also gratuitously (Isa 55:1).
4. My people—Jacob and his sons.
went down—Judea was an elevated country compared with Egypt.
sojourn—They went there to stay only till the famine in Canaan should have ceased.
Assyrian—Sennacherib. Remember how I delivered you from Egypt and the Assyrian; what, then, is to prevent Me from delivering you out of Babylon (and the mystical Babylon and the Antichrist in the last days)?
without cause—answering to "for naught" in Isa 52:5; it was an act of gratuitous oppression in the present case, as in that case.
5. what have I here—that is, what am I called on to do? The fact "that My people is taken away (into captivity; Isa 49:24, 25) for naught" (by gratuitous oppression, Isa 52:4; also Isa 52:3, and see on Isa 52:3) demands My interposition.
they that rule—or "tyrannize," namely, Babylon, literal and mystical.
make … to howl—or, raise a cry of exultation over them [Maurer].
blasphemed—namely, in Babylon: God's reason for delivering His people, not their goodness, but for the sake of His holy name (Eze 20:9, 14).
6. shall know in that day—when Christ shall reveal Himself to Israel sensibly; the only means whereby their obstinate unbelief shall be overcome (Ps 102:16; Zec 12:10; 14:5).
7. beautiful … feet—that is, The advent of such a herald seen on the distant "mountains" (see on Isa 40:9; Isa 41:27; Isa 25:6, 7; So 2:17) running in haste with the long-expected good tidings, is most grateful to the desolated city (Na 1:15).
good tidings—only partially applying to the return from Babylon. Fully, and antitypically, the Gospel (Lu 2:10, 11), "beginning at Jerusalem" (Lu 24:47), "the city of the great King" (Mt 5:35), where Messiah shall, at the final restoration of Israel, "reign" as peculiarly Zion's God ("Thy God reigneth"; compare Ps 2:6).
8. watchmen—set on towers separated by intervals to give the earliest notice of the approach of any messenger with tidings (compare Isa 21:6-8). The Hebrew is more forcible than English Version, "The voice of thy watchmen" (exclamatory as in So 2:8). "They lift up their voice! together they sing."
eye to eye—that is, close at hand, and so clearly [Gesenius]; Nu 14:14, "face to face"; Nu 12:8, "mouth to mouth." Compare 1Co 13:12; Re 22:4, of which Simeon's sight of the Saviour was a prefiguration (Lu 2:30). The watchmen, spiritually, are ministers and others who pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Isa 62:6, 7),
bring again—that is, restore. Or else, "return to" [Maurer].
9. (Isa 14:7, 8; 42:11).
redeemed—spiritually and nationally (Isa 48:20).
10. made bare … arm—metaphor from warriors who bare their arm for battle (Eze 4:7).
all … earth … see … salvation of … God—The deliverance wrought by God for Israel will cause all nations to acknowledge the Lord (Isa 66:18-20). The partial fulfilment (Lu 3:6) is a forerunner of the future complete fulfilment.
11. (Isa 48:20; Zec 2:6, 7). Long residence in Babylon made many loath to leave it: so as to mystical Babylon (Re 18:4).
ye … that bear … vessels of the Lord—the priests and Levites, whose office it was to carry the vessels of the temple (Jer 27:18). Nebuchadnezzar had carried them to Babylon (2Ch 36:18). Cyrus restored them (Ezr 1:7-11).
be … clean—by separating yourselves wholly from Babylonian idolaters, mystical and literal.
12. not … with haste—as when ye left Egypt (Ex 12:33, 39; De 16:3; compare Note, see on Isa 28:16). Ye shall have time to cleanse yourselves and make deliberate preparation for departure.
Lord—Jehovah, as your Leader in front (Isa 40:3; Ex 23:20; Mic 2:13).
rereward—literally, "gather up," that is, to bring up the rear of your host. The transition is frequent from the glory of Messiah in His advent to reign, to His humiliation in His advent to suffer. Indeed, so are both advents accounted one, that He is not said, in His second coming, to be about to return, but to come.
13. Here the fifty-third chapter ought to begin, and the fifty-second chapter end with Isa 52:12. This section, from here to end of the fifty-third chapter settles the controversy with the Jews, if Messiah be the person meant; and with infidels, if written by Isaiah, or at any time before Christ. The correspondence with the life and death of Jesus Christ is so minute, that it could not have resulted from conjecture or accident. An impostor could not have shaped the course of events so as to have made his character and life appear to be a fulfilment of it. The writing is, moreover, declaredly prophetic. The quotations of it in the New Testament show: (1) that it was, before the time of Jesus, a recognized part of the Old Testament; (2) that it refers to Messiah (Mt 8:17; Mr 15:28; Lu 22:37; Joh 12:38; Ac 8:28-35; Ro 10:16; 1Pe 2:21-25). The indirect allusions to it still more clearly prove the Messianic interpretation; so universal was that interpretation, that it is simply referred to in connection with the atoning virtue of His death, without being formally quoted (Mr 9:12; Ro 4:25; 1Co 15:3; 2Co 5:21; 1Pe 1:19; 2:21-25; 1Jo 3:5). The genuineness of the passage is certain; for the Jews would not have forged it, since it is opposed to their notion of Messiah, as a triumphant temporal prince. The Christians could not have forged it; for the Jews, the enemies of Christianity, are "our librarians" [Paley]. The Jews try to evade its force by the figment of two Messiahs, one a suffering Messiah (Ben Joseph), the other a triumphant Messiah (Ben David). Hillel maintained that Messiah has already come in the person of Hezekiah. Buxtorf states that many of the modern Rabbins believe that He has been come a good while, but will not manifest Himself because of the sins of the Jews. But the ancient Jews, as the Chaldee paraphrast, Jonathan, refer it to Messiah; so the Medrasch Tauchuma (a commentary on the Pentateuch); also Rabbi Moses Haddarschan (see Hengstenberg, Christology of the Old Testament). Some explain it of the Jewish people, either in the Babylonish exile, or in their present sufferings and dispersion. Others, the pious portion of the nation taken collectively, whose sufferings made a vicarious satisfaction for the ungodly. Others, Isaiah, or Jeremiah [Gesenius], the prophets collectively. But an individual is plainly described: he suffers voluntarily, innocently, patiently, and as the efficient cause of the righteousness of His people, which holds good of none other but Messiah (Isa 53:4-6, 9, 11; contrast Jer 20:7; 15:10-21; Ps 137:8, 9). Isa 53:9 can hold good of none other. The objection that the sufferings (Isa 53:1-10) referred to are represented as past, the glorification alone as future (Isa 52:13-15; 53:11, 12) arises from not seeing that the prophet takes his stand in the midst of the scenes which he describes as future. The greater nearness of the first advent, and the interval between it and the second, are implied by the use of the past tense as to the first, the future as to the second.
Behold—awakening attention to the striking picture of Messiah that follows (compare Joh 19:5, 14).
my servant—Messiah (Isa 42:1).
deal prudently—rather, "prosper" [Gesenius] as the parallel clause favors (Isa 53:10). Or, uniting both meanings, "shall reign well" [Hengstenberg]. This verse sets forth in the beginning the ultimate issue of His sufferings, the description of which follows: the conclusion (Isa 53:12) corresponds; the section (Isa 52:13; 53:12) begins as it ends with His final glory.
extolled—elevated (Mr 16:19; Eph 1:20-22; 1Pe 3:22).
14, 15. Summary of Messiah's history, which is set forth more in detail in the fifty-third chapter. "Just as many were astonished (accompanied with aversion, Jer 18:16; 19:8), &c.; his visage, &c.; so shall He sprinkle," &c.; Israel in this answers to its antitype Messiah, now "an astonishment and byword" (De 28:37), hereafter about to be a blessing and means of salvation to many nations (Isa 2:2, 3; Mic 5:7).
thee; his—Such changes of persons are common in Hebrew poetry.
marred—Hebrew, "disfigurement"; abstract for concrete; not only disfigured, but disfigurement itself.
more than man—Castalio translates, "so that it was no longer that of a man" (compare Ps 22:6). The more perfect we may suppose the "body prepared" (Heb 10:5) for Him by God, the sadder by contrast was the "marring" of His visage and form.
15. sprinkle many—Gesenius, for the antithesis to "be astonished," translates, "shall cause … to exult." But the word universally in the Old Testament means either to sprinkle with blood, as the high priest makes an expiation (Le 4:6; 16:18, 19); or with water, to purify (Eze 36:25; compare as to the Spirit, Ac 2:33), both appropriate to Messiah (Joh 13:8; Heb 9:13, 14; 10:22; 12:24; 1Pe 1:2). The antithesis is sufficient without any forced rendering. Many were astonished; so many (not merely men, but) nations shall be sprinkled. They were amazed at such an abject person claiming to be Messiah; yet it is He who shall justify and purify. Men were dumb with the amazement of scorn at one marred more than the lowest of men, yet the highest: even kings (Isa 49:7, 23) shall be dumb with awe and veneration ("shut … mouths"; Job 29:9, 10; Mic 7:16).
that … not … told them—the reason why kings shall so venerate them; the wonders of redemption, which had not been before told them, shall then be announced to them, wonders such as they had never heard or seen parallelled (Isa 55:1; Ro 15:21; 16:25, 26).