イザヤ書 41:1-9 JC

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:1-7

The false refuge and the true. In the regulation of his life, a wise man will give a large place to the consideration of what resources he will have in the times of great emergency. For he knows that such times must come to him as they come to all men, and when they come there is urgent and even terrible need of a refuge to which the stricken soul may flee. We are here reminded of— I. THE REFUGE WHICH IS FALSE , AND WHICH WILL FAIL US . ( Isaiah 41:5-7 .) We smile... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:2

Who raised up the righteous man , etc.? rather, who raised up from the East one whom righteousness will call to his foot. It is generally agreed among moderns that the reference is to Cyrus, who is further referred to in Isaiah 41:25 , in Isaiah 44:28 ; Isaiah 45:1-4 , Isaiah 45:13 ; and Isaiah 46:11 . Cyrus, whether we regard him as King of Persia, or as King of Elam (Susiana), would come from a land lying east of Babylon. "Righteousness called him to his foot" when God, the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:3

He pursued them, and passed safely ; rather, he shall pursue them , and shall pass on in safety. Even by the way that he had not gone with his feet ; rather, a path with his feet he shall not tread. ,The meaning seems to be that he will dispense with customary paths, making his advance everywhere over all obstacles, by untrodden ways. Compare the frequent boasts of the Assyrian kings: "To the recesses of the deep forests and the peaks of the difficult mountains, which had never been... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:4

Who hath wrought and done it? i.e. "by whom has this mighty conqueror been raised up?" Can any of the idol-gods claim him as their protege ? Assuredly not. He is my work; I, Jehovah, that have called (into being) the generations (of man) from the beginning (of the world)—I, Jehovah, the First, and with the last, am he that he has done this thing. By "the First, and with the last"—a favourite phrase in these later chapters (see Isaiah 45:6 and Isaiah 48:12 )—seems to be meant simply... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:4

The eternal Alpha and Omega. The idea of these verses seems to be this—look back, if you will, to the very beginnings of nations: God is there. Watch the changes of nations, the uprising of great kings and leaders: God is presiding over all. Peer into the dim mysteries of the future, and still God is controlling and overruling all. The thought here set before the nation finds expression in the private meditations of the psalmist ( Psalms 139:1-24 .). Nowhere can he get away from the sense... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:5

The isles saw it, and feared . A general terror seized the nations on the conquest of the Medes by Cyrus. Croesus of Lydia, Nabonidus of Babylon, and Amasis of Egypt, were at once drawn together by the common danger, and made alliance offensive and defensive (Herod; 1.77). The weaker tribes and peoples gave themselves up for lost. Scarcely any resistance seems to have been offered to the Persian arms by the tribes between the Halys and Indus, the Jaxartes and the Indian Ocean. Lydia and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:6

Mutual help. "They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage." The subject is—Helpfulness. Not mere help, but fulness of help. There may be a help that is tardy, that is somewhat sparse and niggardly; and there may be help which is not helpful in the best sense. This help to which our text refers was accompanied by encouragement—that truest and wisest of all help, which, by giving courage, gives strength. Buildings cannot be built by an... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:6-7

Man's devices to do without God. A curious and interesting fact is connected with the reference in this passage to hammering an idol into shape. Ancient hammers had no handles; the workman held in his hand the metal piece with which he worked. In all the copies of Egyptian figures engaged in various arts, there does not appear to be one representation of a handled hammer. Mr. Osburn, remarking on this, says, "The jar occasioned to the nerves of the hand by this violent contact of metal... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:7

The carpenter , etc. (comp. Isaiah 40:19 , Isaiah 40:20 for the variety of workmen employed in the production of idols). Each encourages the others to manufacture a right good god. When all is done, there is, however, need of soldering, and of nails, that the wretched object may be kept erect, and not show its weakness by falling, like Dagon, upon its own threshold ( 1 Samuel 5:4 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:8

Israel … my servant (comp. Isaiah 44:1 , Isaiah 44:2 , Isaiah 44:21 ; Isaiah 45:4 ; Isaiah 48:20 ; Isaiah 49:3-6 , etc.). The title characterizes these later chapters, and, while standing no doubt in some special relation to the "Servant of Jehovah" who is the subject of Isaiah 42:1-5 ; Isaiah 49:5-7 , etc; is perhaps mainly selected, and dwelt on, to console Israel in captivity, when servants of the King of Babylon ( 2 Chronicles 36:20 ), by the thought that their true... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:1-7

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:6

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:6-7

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:8

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