Isaiah 40

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:1-2

Isaiah 40:1-2. Comfort ye, &c. “The prophet, in the foregoing chapter, had delivered a very explicit declaration of the impending dissolution of the kingdom of Judah, and of the captivity of the royal house of David, and of the people, under the king of Babylon. As the subject of his subsequent prophecies was to be chiefly of the consolatory kind, he opens them with giving a promise of the restoration of the kingdom, and the return of the people from that captivity, by the merciful... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:3-4

Isaiah 40:3-4. The voice of him that crieth Or, as the Hebrew may be properly rendered, A voice crieth; an abrupt and imperfect speech, implying, “Methinks I hear a voice;” or, “A voice shall be heard;” in the wilderness Which word signifies the place, either where the cry was made, or where the way was to be prepared, as it is expressed in the following clause, which seems to be added to explain this. Bishop Lowth understands it in this latter sense, and translates the words, A voice... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:5

Isaiah 40:5. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed It was revealed in some sort when God brought his people out of Babylon: for that was a glorious work of God, in which he displayed his power, and love, and faithfulness in fulfilling his promises. But his glory was much more eminently revealed when Christ, the Lord of glory, was manifested in the flesh, and gave much clearer and fuller discoveries of God’s glorious wisdom, holiness, goodness, and other divine perfections, than ever... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:6-8

Isaiah 40:6-8. The voice said, Cry Rather, A voice; for it is not the voice last mentioned, which cried in the wilderness, that is intended, but the voice of God, who ( Isa 40:1 ) said, Comfort my people. Having, with a view to comfort them, commissioned his prophet to foretel glorious and wonderful things, which he was determined to do for them, he here commands him to assure them of the certainty of these things, by representing the vast difference between the nature, word, and work... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:9

Isaiah 40:9 . O Zion, thou bringest good tidings Of deliverance from the Babylonish captivity, to other cities, and parts of the country; and of redemption by Christ to other nations. Lowth, and many other interpreters, think the marginal reading is to be preferred, as giving a better sense, O thou that bringest good tidings to Zion, &c. According to which, Zion is not the deliverer, but the receiver of the tidings, as she is in the parallel place, chap. 52:7. But the translation in... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:10-11

Isaiah 40:10-11. Behold, the Lord God will come with a strong hand With invincible strength, to deliver his people from their most powerful enemies; and his arm shall rule for him His own power shall be sufficient, without any other help, to overcome all opposition. His reward is with him He comes furnished with recompenses, as well of mercy and blessings for his friends and followers, as of justice and vengeance for his enemies: or, “the reward and the recompense which he bestows, and... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:12-14

Isaiah 40:12-14. Who hath measured the waters, &c. Who can do this but God? And this discourse on God’s infinite power and wisdom is added, to give them the greater assurance, that he was able, as he had declared himself willing, to do those great and wonderful things which he had promised; and neither men nor false gods were able to hinder him. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, &c. Whom did God either need or take to advise him in any of his works, either of creation or... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:15-17

Isaiah 40:15-17. Behold the nations, &c. As the drop of a bucket is as nothing when compared with the waters of the immense ocean, so all the nations of the world are as nothing when compared with God; and are counted by him, and in comparison of him, as the small dust which accidentally cleaves to the balance, but makes no alteration of the weight. Behold, he taketh, up the isles, &c. Those numerous and vast countries, to which they went from Judea by sea, which are... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:18

Isaiah 40:18. To whom then will ye liken God? This is a proper inference from the foregoing discourse of God’s infinite greatness; from whence he takes occasion to show both the folly of those that make mean and visible representations of God, and the utter inability of men or idols to give any opposition to God. And this discourse, concerning the madness of idolaters, prosecuted both here and in the following chapter, was designed by God as a necessary antidote, whereby the Jews might be... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:19-20

Isaiah 40:19-20. The workman melteth a graven image He melteth some base metal into a mould which giveth it the form of an image, which afterward is graven or carved to make it the more exact and pleasing likeness of some creature. Thus the image owes all its excellence to the earth for the matter of it, and to the art of man for the fashion of it. The goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold Beaten out into leaves or plates; and casteth silver chains For ornaments; or rather, for use, to... read more

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:1-2

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:3-4

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:5

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:6-8

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:9

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:10-11

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:12-14

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:15-17

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:18

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 40:19-20

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