*H Let the islands keep silence before me, and the nations take new strength: let them come near, and then speak, let us come near to judgment together.
Ver. 1. Islands, near Asia, whose conversion Isaias often predicts, (C.) as he does that of all nations. H. — God continues to prove his divinity, (C.) expostulating with idolaters, whose conversion is insinuated, and among the rest that of Britain, which is the most renowned island in Europe. Bristow, anot. 11. W.
*H Who hath raised up the just one from the east, hath called him to follow him? he shall give the nations in his sight, and he shall rule over kings: he shall give them as the dust to his sword, as stubble driven by the wind, to his bow.
Ver. 2. Just one. Sept. "justice." Christ, (Eus. S. Jer.) Abraham, (Chal. Grot.) or Cyrus, whose conquests were effects of God's providence. v. 10. C. xlv. — Kings. Cyrus liberated Persia, conquered Babylon and all Asia.
*H He shall pursue them, he shall pass in peace, no path shall appear after his feet.
Ver. 3. Feet. His march and victories shall be so rapid, like those of Alexander. Dan. viii. 5.
*H Who hath wrought and done these things, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, I am the first and the last.
Ver. 4. Beginning. Disposing all things, as the conquests of Cyrus, announced so long before by name, evince. — Last. Alpha and Omega. Apoc. i. 8. and xxii. 13.
* Footnote * Apocalypse 1 : 8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.* Footnote * Apocalypse 22 : 13
I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.*H The islands saw it, and feared, the ends of the earth were astonished, they drew near, and came.
Ver. 5. Islands. People of Asia Minor. Gen. x. 5. C. — The Babylonians made a league with the most potent king Crœsus, to oppose the young conqueror. Xen. B. i.
*H The coppersmith striking with the hammer encouraged him that forged at that time, saying: It is ready for soldering: and he strengthened it with nails, that it should not be moved.
Ver. 7. Moved. Thus the nations conspire against Cyrus (C.) and the Messias. H.
*H Fear not, for I am with thee: turn not aside, for I am thy God: I have strengthened thee, and have helped thee, and the right hand of my just one hath upheld thee.
Ver. 10. Upheld thee. Cyrus shall gain the victory, and give thee liberty.
*H Fear not, thou worm of Jacob, you that are dead of Israel: I have helped thee, saith the Lord: and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel.
Ver. 14. Dead. Though you were in the grave, I could protect you. Captivity is often represented under this idea. C. — You who are despised, fear not, since Christ will protect and reward you. W.
*H I have made thee as a new thrashing wain, with teeth like a saw: thou shalt thrash the mountains, and break them in pieces: and shalt make the hills as chaff.
Ver. 15. Chaff. Cambyses perished on the mountains of Judea, (H.) and the Machabees gained many victories over the Syrians. Mic. iv. 13. Ezec. xxxix. C. — They are here meant, as their exploits resembled those of Cyrus. Houbigant.
*H I will open rivers in the high hills, and fountains in the midst of the plains: I will turn the desert into pools of waters, and the impassable land into streams of waters.
Ver. 18. Waters. The captives shall be refreshed in the deserts. C. xxxv. 6. and xliii. 20. C.
*H I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, and the thorn, and the myrtle, and the olive tree: I will set in the desert the fir tree, the elm, and the box tree together:
Ver. 19. The thorn. In Hebrew, the shitta or setim, a tree resembling the whitethorn. Ch. S. Jer. — A fragrant shade shall speedily rise up. Bar. v. 6. C.
*H Bring your cause near, saith the Lord: bring hither, if you have any thing to allege, saith the King of Jacob.
Ver. 21. Thing. Add "strong," forte, (H.) any good proof of idolatry.
*H Shew the things that are to come hereafter, and we shall know that ye are gods. Do ye also good or evil, if you can: and let us speak, and see together.
Ver. 23. Good. The prescience and power of God prove his divinity. Can idols produce any thing similar? C. — None can tell what will happen, unless God reveal it. W.
*H Behold, you are of nothing, and your work of that which hath no being: he that hath chosen you is an abomination.
Ver. 24. Work. All that you can do or promise. Heb. "your work is worse than a viper."
*H I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come from the rising of the sun: he shall call upon my name, and he shall make princes to be as dirt, and as the potter treading clay.
Ver. 25. Sun. Cyrus had a Persian for his father, and a Mede for his mother; thus uniting both nations, (C.) so that he was styled a mule by an ancient oracle. Eus. præp. ix. 41. — These countries lay to the north-east of Judea. C.
*H Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know: and from time of old, that we may say: Thou art just. There is none that sheweth, nor that foretelleth, nor that heareth your words.
Ver. 26. Just, or "the just one," (H.) that we may recognise Cyrus at once. — Your words. He addresses the idols. You cannot dive into futurity. C.
*H And I saw, and there was no one even among them to consult, or who, when I asked, could answer a word.
Ver. 28. I. Isaias, (M.) or God, (H.) pronounces sentence against the speechless idols. M.