Isaiah 43:8-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 43:8-13

God here challenges the worshippers of idols to produce such proofs of the divinity of their false gods as even this very instance (to go no further) of the redemption of the Jews out of Babylon furnished the people of Israel with, to prove that their God is the true and living God, and he only. I. The patrons of idolatry are here called to appear, and say what they have to say in defence of their idols, Isa. 43:8, 9. Their gods have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, and those that make... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 43:8

Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears ,.... The Targum applies this to the bringing of the people of Israel out of Egypt; and others understand it of their deliverance from the Babylonish captivity; and some of the exclusion of them from the kingdom of heaven, and casting them into outward darkness, according to Matthew 8:12 , but it is rather to be understood of the conviction of them; though better of the Gentiles, and of the enlightening of them, who... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 43:9

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled ,.... In one place, if it could be, in an open court of judicature; that their whole strength might be united together, and the most cogent arguments any of them are able to produce might be brought out; and that all might have an opportunity of hearing the cause fairly argued, and the point decided, and judge for themselves on which side truth lies: who among them can declare this, and show us former things ? what... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 43:10

Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord ,.... The people of Israel, who could testify that the Lord had foretold their affliction in Egypt, their coming from thence, and settling in the land of Canaan, many hundreds of years before they came to pass, and which were exactly fulfilled; and so the apostles of Christ, and ministers of the word, and all Christian people in all nations, are witnesses of the prophecies concerning Christ, his birth, miracles, obedience, sufferings, death, resurrection,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 43:11

I, even I, am the Lord ,.... Jehovah, the self-existing, eternal, and immutable Being; this is doubled for the confirmation of it, and to exclude all others: and besides me there is no Saviour ; either in a temporal or spiritual sense; the gods of the Heathens could not save them out of their present troubles, and much less save them with an everlasting salvation; none but God can do this, and this is a proof that Christ is God, since none but God can be a Saviour. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 43:12

I have declared, and I have saved, and I have showed ,.... The Targum is, "I have showed to Abraham your father what should come to pass; I redeemed you out of Egypt, as I swore to him between the pieces; and I caused you to hear the doctrine of the law at Sinai.' But the sense is, that God had declared by his prophets, long before the Messiah came, that he would send him; that he should come and save his people by his obedience, sufferings, and death; accordingly he was come, and was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 43:13

Yea, before the day was I am he ,.... Before there was a day, before the first day of the creation; that is, before time was, or from all eternity, I am he that resolved upon and contrived this method of saving men; "and ever since that day was" F11 מיום אני הוא "ex quo dies fuit ", Gataker; "ex quo dies esse coepit", Vatablus; "inde a tempore diei", Piscator. הוא "Hu", may be considered here as one of the names of God, who from eternity to eternity is, αυτος , "he", the same... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 43:8

Bring forth the blind people that have eyes "Bring forth the people, blind, although they have eyes" - I understand this of the Gentiles, as the verse following, not of the Jews. Their natural faculties, if they had made a proper use of them, must have led them to the knowledge of the being and attributes of the one true God; "for his eternal power and Godhead," if well attended to, are clearly seen in his works, ( Romans 1:20 ;), and would have preserved them from running into the folly... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 43:9

Who among them - Seven MSS., three ancient, and the first edition, 1486, with the Syriac and Vulgate, read בכם bechem , who among you, the present reading is preferable. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 43:10

Ye (the Israelites) are my witnesses, and my servant (the prophet) whom I have chosen - That whatever has been said before concerning Sennacherib has been literally fulfilled. The prophet had predicted it; the Israelites saw it accomplished. Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me - This is a most difficult place. Was there a time when God was not? No! Yet he says, before me. Will there be a time in which God will not exist? No! Yet he says, after me. Are not... read more

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