All they that were incensed against thee - They who were enraged against thee, that is, the Chaldeans who made war upon you, and reduced you to bondage.Shall be ashamed and confounded - To be ashamed and confounded is often used as synonymous with being overcome and destroyed.They that strive with thee - Margin, as Hebrew, ‘The men of thy strife.’ The expression refers to their enemies, the Babylonians. read more
Isaiah 41:8-13. But thou, Israel, art my servant Thus the Gentiles show themselves to be the servants of their idols, and own them for their gods: but thou art my people, and I am and will be thy God. Jacob, whom I have chosen Out of the multitude of idolatrous nations, to be my peculiar people. The seed of Abraham my friend With whom I made a strict league of perpetual friendship: see Genesis 12:2-3; Genesis 15:1; Genesis 15:8. “The expressions are very endearing: it is honourable to... read more
The living God and idols (41:1-29)At that time Cyrus of Persia had been expanding his empire. He had conquered all the countries to the north and east, and was now threatening Babylon. The prophet imagines God calling the nations to assemble before him and asking them a question: who is it that has stirred up Cyrus to carry out this conquest? The answer: Yahweh (41:1-4).As the armies of Cyrus approach these nations the people panic, and in their distress call upon their gods for protection.... read more
Fear thou not. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 31:6 , Deuteronomy 31:8 ). be not dismayed = look not around. Some codices, with Syriac, read "and be not", &c. It is this that dismays (see notes on Psalms 73:0 and 77). God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 . strengthen = strength (inherent, for activity). Hebrew. 'dmas. Not the same word as in Isaiah 41:1 and Isaiah 41:21 . read more
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. . Behold, all they, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 23:22 ). App-92 . they that strive = the men (Hebrew. 'ish, App-14 ) of thy strife: i.e. thine accusers. read more
Isaiah 41:8-13. But thou, Israel, &c.— The prophet here subjoins to his reproof of the nations, a consolation to the people of God, drawn from the same argument, as also he had done in the preceding section. See the analysis of this chapter. In order fully to understand this consolation, it is necessary to observe, that the scene of this exhortation is to be fixed in the midst of the period between the return of the people of God from Babylon, and the manifestation of the Son of God. To... read more
10. be not dismayed—literally, anxiously to look at one another in dismay. right hand of my righteousness—that is, My right hand prepared in accordance with My righteousness (faithfulness to My promises) to uphold thee. read more
11. ashamed—put to the shame of defeat (compare Isaiah 54:17; Romans 9:33). read more
The fearful servant, Israel 41:1-20The Lord, through His prophet, assured fearful Israel in this segment. Israel need not fear the nations (Isaiah 41:1-7) because Yahweh remained committed to His people and would use them to accomplish His purposes in the world (Isaiah 41:8-20). This expression of God’s grace would have encouraged and motivated the Israelites to serve their Lord.The courtroom setting pictured in Isaiah 41:1-7 enabled Isaiah to make God’s transcendent monotheism clear and... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not - This verse is plain in its meaning, and is full of consolation. It is to be regarded as addressed primarily to the exiled Jews during their long and painful captivity in Babylon; and the idea is, that they who had been selected by God to be his special people had nothing to fear. But the promise is one that may be regarded as addressed to all his people in similar circumstances, and it is as true now as it was then, that those whom God has chosen have nothing to fear.For I am... read more