My righteousness is near - The word צדק tsedek , righteousness, is used in such a great latitude of signification, for justice, truth, faithfulness, goodness, mercy, deliverance, salvation, etc., that it is not easy sometimes to give the precise meaning of it without much circumlocution; it means here the faithful completion of God's promises to deliver his people. read more
My salvation shall be for ever - Aben Ezra says, From this verse divines have learnt the immortality of the soul. Men shall perish as the earth does, because they are formed from it; but they who are filled with the salvation of God shall remain for ever. See Kimchi. read more
Ye that follow after righteousness ; i.e. "ye that endeavour to lead righteous lives" (comp. Isaiah 51:7 ). Ye that seek the Lord. And do not "seek after idols," as too many of the exiles did ( Isaiah 40:19 ; Isaiah 41:7 ; Isaiah 44:9-20 ; Isaiah 46:5-8 , etc.). Look unto the rock … the hole; i.e. look back at your past history, especially at the early beginnings of it. Consider from what a slight and poor commencement—an aged man and a barren woman ( Isaiah 51:2 ... read more
Lessons of the past. This passage has been somewhat misused. The appeal is not made to the miserableness of our spiritual condition before receiving the Divine redemption. It is simply a recalling of the early history of the race, and an appeal that the goodness, care, and mercy of God to the first progenitors of the race should be recognized. The wonder involved in the origin of Israel may be treated as a ground of faith in its restoration and perpetuity. Cheyne gives the meaning thus:... read more
AN ADDRESS TO FAITHFUL ISRAEL , SUGGESTING TOPICS OF COMFORT . The address consists of three nearly equal strophes or stanzas, each commencing with a call, Shim'u elai , "Hearken unto me," or Haqshibu elai , "Attend to me." The prophet appears to be the speaker, and to address himself to the more faithful portion of the people. read more
Instructions to the spiritual Israel. The people are described as "possessing righteousness," i.e. following a way of life in accordance with the Divine commands; and "seeking Jehovah," i.e. attending to all that his mind approves and his will commands. I. THE LESSON OF THEIR ORIGIN . They had been, as it were, hewn from a rock and dug out of a pit. The allusion is to Abraham. They had sprung from one, and him as good as dead ( Hebrews 11:12 ). They had been as rough as... read more
I called him alone ; or, I called him when he was but ode; i.e. before he had any children (comp. Ezekiel 33:24 , "Abraham was one, and he inherited the land"). And blessed him (see Genesis 24:1 , Genesis 24:35 ). And increased him ; i.e. "made him a father of many nations" ( Genesis 17:5 ). If God could multiply the progeny of ode man, much more could he make a flourishing nation out of the exiles, who, though but a "remnant" of the pro-Captivity Israel, were yet many... read more
Ancient memories. "Look unto Abraham your father." It is wise to surround the young with the statues of great and brave and wise men, and to have hanging in the halls of a nation the portraits of their true leaders. So in the Hebrews we are in a chamber of inspired images of the heroes and heroines of faith. I. THE EYE IS ALWAYS ON SOME OBJECT . We are looking always to objects that elevate or that debase us. Israel at this time was looking to military leaders, longing... read more
The Lord shall comfort Zion (comp. Isaiah 40:1 ; Isaiah 49:3 ; Isaiah 51:12 ; Isaiah 52:9 , etc.). Literally, the word used is has comforted; i.e. has so determined the matter in his counsels that it may be considered as already accomplished. Her waste places … her wilderness … her desert. Though Nebuchadnezzar "left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen" ( 2 Kings 25:12 ; Jeremiah 52:16 ), yet the population was not sufficient to maintain cultivation... read more
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 51:4
By people - O my nation "O ye peoples - O ye nations" - For עמי ammi , my people, the Bodleian MS. and another read עמים ammim , ye peoples; and for לאומי leumi , my nation, the Bodleian MS. and eight others, (two of them ancient), and four of De Rossi's, read לאמים leummim , ye nations; and so the Syriac in both words. The difference is very material; for in this case the address is made not to the Jews, but to the Gentiles, as in all reason it ought to be; for this and the... read more