Isaiah 41:8-20

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:11

Behold, all they that were incensed against thee ,.... For rejecting their idols, and idol worship; for receiving the Gospel, and professing it: shall be ashamed and confounded ; their idols not being able to help them, nor they to defend the worship of them: the same is said with respect to Christ, Isaiah 45:24 , they shall be as nothing, and they that strive with thee shall perish ; or, "the men of thy strife" F15 אנשי ריבך "viri litis tuae", Montanus; "rixae tuae",... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:12

They not existing, or being fled into holes and corners, to rocks and mountains, to hide themselves from the wrath of the Lamb, Revelation 6:15 , even them that contended with thee ; or, "the men of thy contention" F16 אנשי מצתיך "viros jurgii tui", Montanus. ; who contended with them, not by words and arguments, but by severe persecutions, striving thereby to hinder the progress of the Gospel, and to root Christianity out of the world: they that war against thee shall be as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:13

For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand ,.... Take hold of it, join in league and alliance with his people as it were, go hand in hand with them; and having such an one with them, and on their side, they need fear no enemy: or it is expressive of great freedom, familiarity, and friendship, which may assure believers of the strong affection of God towards them; and they may conclude themselves safe, being held by him as a child in the hand of its parents, which is then not afraid of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:14

Fear not, thou worm Jacob ,.... Being like a worm, exposed to danger, and liable to be trampled upon and crushed, mean and despicable in their own eyes, and in the esteem of others; and it may be Jacob, or the true Israelites, are so called, because of their impurity in themselves, of which they are sensible; and chiefly because of their weakness and impotence to defend themselves, and resist their enemies. It is an observation of Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, that the strength of a worm... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 41:15

Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument, having teeth ,.... The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "as a new threshing cart, having teeth like saws"; and the Septuagint and Arabic versions, "as the new threshing wheels of a cart, in the manner of saws"; for corn with the Jews was threshed out by drawing a cart with wheels over it, which wheels were stuck with teeth or spikes of iron; see Isaiah 28:27 , or by a cart or sledge filled with stones to press it down, and at the... read more

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