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Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 54:6

For the Lord hath called thee - This is designed to confirm and illustrate the sentiment in the previous verse. God there says that he would be a husband to his people. Here he says, that although he had for a time apparently forsaken them, as a husband who had forsaken his wife, and although they were cast down and dejected like a woman who had thus been forsaken, yet he would now restore them to favor.Hath called thee - That is, will have called thee to himself - referring to the future times... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 54:7

For a small moment - The Chaldee and Syriac render this, ‘In a little anger.’ Lowth has adopted this, but without sufficient authority. The Hebrew means, ‘For a little moment;’ a very short time. The reference here is probably to the captivity at Babylon, when they were apparently forsaken by Yahweh. Though to them this appeared long, yet compared with their subsequent prosperity, it was but an instant of time. Though this had probably a primary reference to the captivity then, yet there can be... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 54:8

In a little wrath - The Syriac renders this, ‘In great wrath.’ The Vulgate, ‘In a moment of indignation.’ The Septuagint, ‘In a little wrath.’ (Noyes renders it in accordance with the view of Rosenmuller, ‘In overflowing wrath.’ This variety of interpretation has arisen from the various meanings affixed to the unusual word שׁצף shetsep. This word occurs nowhere else in the Bible. Gesenius supposes that it is used for the sake of paronomasia with קצף qetsep, ‘wrath,’ instead of שׁטף sheṭep.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 54:9

For this is as the waters of Noah unto me - As it was in the time of the flood of waters, so shall it be now. ‘I then solemnly promised that the waters should not again drown the earth, and I have kept that promise. I now promise with equal solemnity that I will bestow perpetual favor on my true people, and will shed upon them eternal and unchanging blessings.’ ‘The waters of Noah,’ here mean evidently the flood that came upon the world in his time, and from which he and his family were saved.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 54:10

For the mountains shall depart - (See the notes at Isaiah 51:6).The covenant of my peace - That is, the covenant by which I promise peace and prosperity to thee. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 54:11

O thou afflicted - In the previous verses, Yahweh had merely promised protection, and had in general terms assured them of his favor. Here he shows that they should not only be defended, but that his church would rise with great beauty, and be ornamented like a most splendid palace or temple. This is to be regarded as addressed primarily to the exiles in Babylon near to the close of their seventy years’ captivity. But nothing forbids us to apply it to the church in all similar circumstances... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 54:12

And I will make thy windows - The word rendered here ‘windows’ is rendered by Jerome propugnacula - ‘fortresses,’ bulwarks, ramparts; and by the Septuagint, Επαλξεις Epalcheis - ‘Bulwarks,’ or rather, pinnacles on the walls. The Hebrew word שׁמשׁות shı̂mâshôt) is evidently derived from שׁמשׁ shemesh (the sun); and has some relation in signification to the sun, either as letting in light, or as having a radiated appearance like the sun. Gesenius renders it, ‘notched battlements, the same as... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 54:13

And all thy children - All that dwell in this splendid city; all that are the true friends of the Redeemer. It shall be a part of their future glory that they shall be all under divine instruction and guidance. See Jeremiah 31:34 - ‘And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.’And great shall be the peace of thy children - (See the notes at Isaiah 2:4; Isaiah... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 54:14

In righteousness shalt thou be established - This is language which is appropriately addressed to a city or commonwealth. The idea is, that it would not be built up by fraud, and rapine, and conquest, as many cities had been, but by the prevalence of justice.Thou shalt be far from oppressions - That is, thou shalt be far from being oppressed by others. So the connection demands. The Hebrew would bear an active signification, so that it might be read, ‘be thou far from oppression,’ that is, be... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 54:15

Behold, they shall surely gather together - The idea in this verse is, that the enemies of the people of God would indeed form alliances and compacts against them, but it would not be under the divine direction, and they would not be able to prevail against the church. The word rendered here ‘gather together’ (גור gûr) means properly ‘to turn aside from the way’; then to sojourn for a time; then to assemble against anyone. It seems here to refer to the gathering together of hostile forces to... read more

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