Isaiah 49:1-12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 49:1-6

Here, I. An auditory is summoned together and attention demanded. The sermon in the foregoing chapter was directed to the house of Jacob and the people of Israel, Isa. 49:1, 12. But this is directed to the isles (that is, the Gentiles, for they are called the isles of the Gentiles, Gen. 10:5) and to the people from far, that were strangers to the commonwealth of Israel, and afar off. Let these listen (Isa. 49:1) as to a thing at a distance, which yet they are to hear with desire and attention.... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 49:7-12

In these verses we have, I. The humiliation and exaltation of the Messiah (Isa. 49:7): The Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and Israel's Holy One, who had always taken care of the Jewish church and wrought out for them those deliverances that were typical of the great salvation, speaks here to him, who was the undertaker of that salvation. And, 1. He takes notice of his humiliation, the instances of which were uncommon, nay, unparalleled. He was one whom man despised. He is despised and rejected... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 49:1

Listen, O isles, unto me ,.... These are not the words of Cyrus, as Lyra mentions; nor of the Prophet Isaiah, as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and other Jewish writers think; but of Christ, calling upon the inhabitants of the isles to hearken to him; by whom are meant the inhabitants of islands properly so called, as ours of Great Britain, and may be chiefly designed, being a place where the Gospel of Christ came early, and has been long; or all such that dwell in countries beyond the sea, it being... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 49:2

And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword ,.... Or, "he hath put his words in my mouth as a sharp sword,' as the Targum; namely, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and is sharper than a twoedged sword, and is said to come out of the mouth of Christ, Ephesians 6:17 , with which he pierces into and cuts the hearts of men, and lays open all their sin and unrighteousness, and cuts down the worst and best in men, and slays all his enemies; so his mouth was as a sharp... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 49:3

And said unto me ,.... Both in the everlasting council, and when he made a covenant with him in eternity; when he found him and anointed him, and laid help on him; and also when he brought him, his first begotten, into the world, at his incarnation: thou art my servant ; of his choosing, appointing, calling, sending, bringing forth, and supporting; so he was as Mediator, especially in his estate of humiliation, when he appeared in the form of a servant, and came not to be ministered... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 49:4

Then I said ,.... The Messiah said, by way of objection, in a view of what treatment he should meet with, or when entered on his work, and which he found by experience, what follows: I have laboured in vain ; this is not to be understood of the travail of his soul, or of his sufferings and death, which were not in vain, but issued in the redemption and salvation of his people; but of his ministry and miracles, and fatiguing journeys among the Jews; which, with respect to them, were in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 49:5

And now, saith the Lord ,.... Jehovah the Father, in confirmation of the call, office, and work of Christ, which he hath declared, Isaiah 49:1 , that formed me from the womb to be his servant ; who preordained him to this service before the world began, and prepared him for it from the womb of his mother Mary, by filling him with grace and wisdom and with the Spirit without measure; anointing him with the oil of gladness above his fellows, and so fitting him as man and Mediator for the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 49:6

And he said ,.... Or "even he said"; namely, the Lord his God, that called, appointed, and strengthened him for his service: it is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; the tribes of Jacob and the preserved of Israel are the elect of God among the Jews; though the characters agree with all the chosen of God of other nations, who, are distinguished from the rest of the world, and are "preserved in Christ", ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 49:7

Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One ,.... These are all the titles of the Father of Christ, who is the Jehovah, the self-existent Being, and from whom all have their Being; "the redeemer of Israel", being concerned with his Son in the redemption, of his people, in the contriving and settling the method of it, and bringing it about; "and his Holy One", or the Holy One of Israel, the sanctifier of them, together with the blessed Spirit; who speaks the following words,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 49:8

Thus saith the Lord ,.... These are the words of God the Father to his Son continued; the Jews themselves interpret them of the Messiah F26 In Pesikta Rabbati in Yalkut in loc. : in an acceptable time have I heard thee : this was the time when Christ was here on earth, when he became incarnate, and suffered and died for his people: this was an acceptable time to God the Father; his very sufferings were acceptable; his sacrifice was of a sweet smelling savour; his righteousness was... read more

Group of Brands