Isaiah 44

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 44:11

His fellows - חבריו chaberaiv : but עבדיו abadaiv , his servants or worshippers, is the reading of one of De Rossi's MSS., and of the Chaldee. And the workmen, they are of men "Even the workmen themselves shall blush" - I do not know that any one has ever yet interpreted these words to any tolerably good sense: מאדם המה וחרשים vecharashim hemmah meadam . The Vulgate and our translators, have rendered them very fairly, as they are written and pointed in the text: Fabri enim... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 44:12

The smith with the tongs, etc. "The smith cutteth off a portion of iron" - מעצד meatstsed , Participium Pihel of עצד atsad , to cut; still used in that sense in the Arabic. See Simonis Lex. Hebrews The Septuagint and Syriac take the word in this form: but they render it sharpeneth the iron. See Castell. Lex. in voce. The sacred writers are generally large and eloquent upon the subject of idolatry; they treat it with great severity, and set forth the absurdity of it in the strongest... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 44:14

He heweth him down "He heweth down" - For לכרת lichroth , the Septuagint and Vulgate read כרת carath or יכרת yichroth . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 44:16

With part "And with part" - Twenty-three MSS., the Septuagint, and Vulgate add the conjunction ו vau , and ועל veal . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 44:17

He falleth down unto it - There were four forms of adoration used among the Hebrews: השתחוה Hishtachavah , The prostration of the whole body. קדד Kadad , The bowing of the head. כרע Cara , The bending of the upper part of the body down to the knees. 4. ברך Barach , Bowing the knee, or kneeling. See on Isaiah 49:23 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 44:18

He hath shut their eyes "Their eyes are closed up" - The Septuagint, Chaldee, and Vulyate, for טח tach , read טחו tachu . See note on Isaiah 6:10 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 44:20

He feedeth on ashes - He feedeth on that which affordeth no nourishment; a proverbial expression for using ineffectual means, and bestowing labor to no purpose. In the same sense Hosea says, "Ephraim feedeth on wind." Hosea 12:1 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 44:22

I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins "I have made thy transgressions vanish away like a cloud, and thy sins like a vapor" - Longinus admired the sublimity of the sentiment, as well as the harmony of the numbers, in the following sentence of Demosthenes: Τουτο το ψηφισμα τον τοτε τῃ πολει τερισταντα κινδυνον παρελθειν εποιησεν ὡσπερ νεφος . "This decree made the danger then hanging over the city pass away like a cloud." Probably Isaiah... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 44:24

By myself - Thirteen MSS., six ancient, confirm the reading of the Keri, מאתי meittai . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 44:27

That saith to the deep, Be dry "Who saith to the deep, Be thou wasted" - Cyrus took Babylon by laying the bed of the Euphrates dry, and leading his army into the city by night through the empty channel of the river. This remarkable circumstance, in which the event so exactly corresponded with the prophecy, was also noted by Jeremiah, Jeremiah 50:38 ; Jeremiah 51:36 . "A drought shall be upon her waters, and they shall be dried up: - I will lay her sea dry And I will scorch up her... read more

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