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John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:8

The grass withereth, the flower fadeth ,.... Which is repeated, to raise attention to it, as being a matter of importance, and for the confirmation of it: but the word of our God shall stand for ever ; the Apostle Peter adds, by way of explanation, and this is the word, which by the Gospel is preached unto you ; who seems to distinguish the word from the Gospel, by which it is preached, and to intend Christ the essential Word; who stands or abides for ever as a divine Person; in his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:9

O Zion, that bringest good tidings ,.... Or, "O thou that bringest good tidings to Zion F14 מבשרת ציון "O quae evangelizas Tsijoni", Juntas & Tremellius, Piscator. "; which rendering of the words is more agreeable to the latter part of the verse, say unto the cities of Judah , &c.; and to some parallel places, Isaiah 41:27 and to the type, the deliverance of the Jews from Babylon; the tidings of which came from Babylon to Zion, or Jerusalem; and to the Targum which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:10

Behold, the Lord God will come with a strong hand ,.... Some understand this of the second coming of Christ, which coming is certain, such assurances being given of it by promise and prophecy; and will be attended with power, which will be requisite to raise the dead, summon all nations before him, and pass and execute the proper sentence on them; when his arm shall openly bear rule, he will take to himself his great power, and reign; when his reward will be with him, to give to every man... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 40:11

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd ,.... Christ has a flock, a flock of men, a distinct and peculiar people, and it is but one, and that a little one, and yet a beautiful one, though often a flock of slaughter; which is his by his Father's gift, and his own purchase, and appears manifest in the effectual calling, when he calls them by name; to these he stands in the relation of a shepherd, being so by his Father's designation and appointment, and his own consent; and a good shepherd he... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 40:1

Comfort ye, comfort ye - "The whole of this prophecy," says Kimchi, "belongs to the days of the Messiah." read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 40:2

Double for all her sins "Blessings double to the punishment" - It does not seem reconcilable to our notions of the Divine justice, which always punishes less than our iniquities deserve, to suppose that God had punished the sins of the Jews in double proportion; and it is more agreeable to the tenor of this consolatory message to understand it as a promise of ample recompense for the effects of past displeasure, on the reconciliation of God to his returning people. To express this sense of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 40:3

The voice of him that crieth to the wilderness "A voice crieth, In the wilderness" - The idea is taken from the practice of eastern monarchs, who, whenever they entered upon an expedition or took a journey, especially through desert and unpractised countries, sent harbingers before them to prepare all things for their passage, and pioneers to open the passes, to level the ways, and to remove all impediments. The officers appointed to superintend such preparations the Latins call stratores ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 40:4

Crooked - The word עקב akob is very generally rendered crooked: but this sense of the word seems not to be supported by any good authority. Ludolphus, Comment. ad Hist. Aethiop. p. 206, says "that in the Ethiopia language it signifies clivus, locus editus :" and so the Syriac Version renders it in this place, ערמא arama : Hebrew, ערמה aramah , tumulus, acervus . Thus the parallelism would be more perfect:" the hilly country shall be made level, and the precipices a smooth... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 40:5

"The salvation of our God" - These words are added here by the Septuagint: το σωτηριον του Θεου , אלהינו ישועת את eth yesuath Eloheynu , as it is in the parallel place, Isaiah 52:10 . The sentence is abrupt without it, the verb wanting its object; and I think it is genuine. Our English translation has supplied the word it, which is equivalent to this addition, from the Septuagint. This omission in the Hebrew text is ancient, being prior to the Chaldee, Syriac, and Vulgate Versions:... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 40:6

The voice saint Cry "A voice saith Proclaim" - To understand rightly this passage is a matter of importance; for it seems designed to give us the true key to the remaining part of Isaiah's prophecies, the general subject of which is the restoration of the people and Church of God. The prophet opens the subject with great clearness and elegance: he declares at once God's command to his messengers, (his prophets, as the Chaldee rightly explains it), to comfort his people in captivity, to... read more

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