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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 41:1-9

That particular instance of God's care for his people Israel in raising up Cyrus to be their deliverer is here insisted upon as a great proof both of his sovereignty above all idols and of his power to protect his people. Here is, I. A general challenge to the worshippers and admirers of idols to make good their pretensions, in competition with God and opposition to him, Isa. 41:1. Isa. is renewed (Isa. 41:21): Produce your cause. The court is set, summonses are sent to the islands that lay... read more

Matthew Henry

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 41:8

But thou, Israel, art my servant ,.... As the great spread and success of the Gospel could not fail of drawing the resentment of the idolatrous Heathens on those who embraced and professed it, and by whom they were grievously persecuted under the Roman emperors; wherefore, to support them under these trials, the Lord speaks these and the following comfortable words unto them; for not carnal, but spiritual Israel are here meant; such who by the power of divine grace were turned from idols to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:9

Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth ,.... Meaning not Abraham, nor his natural seed; but such who believed in Christ, who dwelt in the furthest parts of the earth, to whom the Gospel came, and by which they were laid hold upon, and apprehended by Christ as his own: and called thee from the chief men thereof ; from among the great men of the earth, out of their families, courts, and palaces: or rather called them by grace, when such personages were passed by and left; not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:10

Fear thou not, for I am with thee ,.... Not merely by his essence or power, who is every where; or by his providence supporting, preserving, observing, ordering, and overruling all things; but in a way of special grace, to guard and protect his people, support and supply them, comfort and strengthen their hearts; wherefore they need not fear any of their enemies, nor whatsoever they may be called to suffer for his name's sake, even though they pass through fire and water, and the valley of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 41:9

And called thee from the chief men thereof "And called from the extremities thereof" - מאציליה אציל atsil meatsileyha , signifies the arm, ascilla, ala ; and is used like כנף canaph , "the wing, "for any thing extended from the extremity of another, or joined on to it. It is here parallel with and synonymous to מקצות mikkatsoth , "from the ends, "in the preceding member. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 41:10

Be not dismayed - תשתע ואל veal tishta , "And be not dismayed. "The ו vau is added by twenty-one of Dr. Kennicott's MSS., thirty of De Rossi's, and one of my own, and three editions. It makes the sense more complete. 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:8

The Divine choices are wise selections. Abraham and Jacob are God's chosen ones as founders, and first fathers, of the Israelite race. By this we are to understand that they were selected, in the Divine wisdom, as having just the qualities which, developed in a race, would make a people precisely fitted to carry out ibis purposes. We are not to understand that, in a way of accident, or in a way of mere sovereignty, these first fathers were picked out. God's choices are never arbitrary;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 41:8-9

His grace and our heritage. We are reminded here of— I. THE SENSE IN WHICH GOD HAS CHOSEN US . "Jacob, whom I have chosen … I have chosen thee." The way in which God's ancient people were chosen of God is familiar biblical history. Abraham was called out of Chaldea, Israel (the people) out of Egypt, the Jews out of Babylonia, in order that they might receive, retain, and reflect the truth of the living God; in other words, this nation was the recipient of those... read more

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