Isaiah 41:17-20 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 41:10-20

The scope of these verses is to silence the fears, and encourage the faith, of the servants of God in their distresses. Perhaps it is intended, in the first place, for the support of God's Israel, in captivity; but all that faithfully serve God through patience and comfort of this scripture may have hope. And it is addressed to Israel as a single person, that it might the more easily and readily be accommodated and applied by every Israelite indeed to himself. That is a word of caution,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:17

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst ,.... This is to be understood not literally, but spiritually; not of their outward circumstances, though the people of God are for the most part the poor of the world, and in need of the good things of it, hungry and thirsty, and naked; but of their spiritual estate: as in Christ they need nothing; but in themselves, and at different times, and in different frames, want many things; as larger... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:18

I will open rivers in high places ,.... Which is not usual; but God will change the course of nature, and work miracles, rather than his people shall want what is necessary for them; thus he opens to them his everlasting and unchangeable love, and makes it manifest, and shows it to them, and their interest in it, which is a broad river, that cannot be passed over; this is in high places, it flows from the throne of God, and of the Lamb; and of this river of pleasure he makes his people to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:19

I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree ,.... Where such trees had not used to grow, but in Lebanon, and such like places. The "shittah tree" is thought to be a kind of cedar; it is the same of which is the "shittim wood" mentioned in Exodus 25:5 and is so called by the Targum here: and the myrtle, and the oil tree ; about the former there is no difficulty, and one would think there should be none about the latter, and that the olive tree is meant; but Kimchi thinks... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:20

That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together ,.... Not the nations of the world, as Kimchi; but rather, as Aben Ezra, the poor and needy; who in all this, by subduing kingdoms and states, their enemies, supplying their wants when in the greatest distress, and in a marvellous manner, and converting sinners, might easily perceive, and so frankly own and acknowledge, as well as lay it to heart, and lay it up in their minds, and get understanding from it: that the hand... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 41:19

I will plant in the wilderness the cedar - The two preceding verses express God's mercy to them in their passage through the dry deserts, in supplying them with abundant water, when distressed with thirst, in allusion to the exodus. This verse expresses the relief afforded to them, fainting with heat in their journey through that hot country, destitute of shelter, by causing shady trees, and those of the tallest and most beautiful kinds, to spring up for their defense. The apocryphal Baruch,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 41:20

And consider - The verb ישימו yasimu , without לב leb added, cannot signify to apply the heart, or to attend to a thing, as Houbigant has observed; he therefore reads ישמו yashshemu , they shall wonder. The conjecture is ingenious; but it is much more probable that the word לב leb is lost out of the text; for all the ancient versions render the phrase to the same sense, as if it were fully expressed, לב ישימו yasimu leb ; and the Chaldee renders it paraphrastically, yet... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:8-20

A PROMISE TO ISRAEL OF GOD 'S PROTECTION AND SUPPORT THROUGH THE TROUBLOUS PERIOD THAT IS APPROACHING . Israel is assured The eye of the prophet travels perhaps, in part, beyond the period of the Captivity; but he is mainly bent on giving the people grounds of comfort and trust during that trying time. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:14-20

God's strength made perfect in weakness. It is when Jacob is brought so low that his only fitting designation is "thou worm," and Israel is so reduced as to be a mere "handful of men," that the promise is made of the triumphant crushing of enemies, and scattering of them "like the chaff of the summer threshing-floor." It is when the nation generally feels itself to be "poor and needy" ( Isaiah 41:17 ), when it is as it were at the last gasp, actually perishing of thirst, that it is raised... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:17

The poor and needy ; i.e. primarily, Israel in captivity; but secondarily, also, the "poor in spirit," and those that feel the need of God's grace, everywhere and at all times. read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 41:10-20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:20

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 41:19

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 41:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:8-20

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:14-20

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:17

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