M B 49:1-12. The Messiah in Person. His call, qualifications, and mission.
C 49:13-26. Zion. Her reconciliation, restoration, and enlargement.
D 50:1-11. Sin: the cause of Separation.
E G 51:1-8. The call to "Listen".
H 51:9 - 52:12. The call to Israel ("Awake").
F 52:13 - 53:12. Messiah's propitiatory work.
E G 54:1 - 56:8. The call to "Sing" and "come".
H 56:9 - 58:14. The call to Israel's enemies("Devour").
D 59:1-21. Sin: the cause of Separation.
C 60:1-22. Zion. Her reconciliation, restoration, and enlargement.
B 61:1 - 66:24. The Messiah in Person. His anointing, and final victory.
B n¹ 1,2. Messiah. Called.
o¹ 3. Object. Yahaveh's glory.
p¹ 4. Reception.
n² 5-. Messiah. Formed.
o² -5,6. Object. Yahaveh's glory.
p² 7. Reception.
n³ 8. Messiah. Given.
o² 9-11. Object. Israel's blessing.
p³ 12. Reception.603-588 B.C.
Isaiah 49)
1 Listen, O maritime-countries (see 11:11), to Me; and listen, all you peoples, from far; the Lord has called Me from the womb (fulfilled in Matt.1:18. Luke 1:28. The Messiah prophesied of in 7:14. Neither Isaiah, nor Israel, nor the Church); from the bowels of My mother has He made mention of My name.
2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword (cp. Rev.1:16; 2:12,16; 19:15); in the shadow of His hand has He hid Me, and made Me a polished (or, pointed) arrow; in His quiver has He hid Me; (30 years at Nazareth. 18 of which in England? See "Traditions of Glastonbury" by E. Raymond Capt)
3 And said to Me, ’You are My Servant, O Israel (= Prince of GOD. Messiah making this use of, and implying the name to Himself. Israel could not "raise up" Israel, v.6. Christ is called "Israel" in the same way that he is called "David"; and Ps.24:6, "Jacob"), in Whom I will be glorified.’
4 Then I said (or, thought: i.e. said to Myself), ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength (to endure) for naught (Heb. tohu. See 24:10), and in vain: yet surely My vindication is with the Lord, and My recompense with My God.
5 And now,” says the Lord That formed Me from the womb (God chose many before the "womb")
to be His servant, to bring Jacob again to Him, “Though Israel be gathered to Him (marked in margin to read "to Him", which is confirmed by the list of such readings in the Massorah. If [in "be not gathered"], the negative be read, then the "though" and the "yet" must be retained; but if the preposition with suffix be read, then the rendering of the clause will be "to bring Jacob again to Him, and that Israel to Him might be gathered, and I be glorious", &c. Probably both readings may be correct, for Israel was not gathered at His first coming [John 1:11], but will be at His second coming), yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and My God shall be My strength”. (for victory)
6 And He said, “It is a small thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give You for a light to the Nations, (They are all His children. Heb. goyim. Cp.42:6. Therefore not the secret [or Mystery] of the Epistle to the Ephesians. Cp. Gen. 12:3. Luke 2:29-32. Quoted in Luke 32. Acts 13:47) that You (this cannot be Israel, for it is expressly fulfilled in Christ) may be My salvation to the end of the earth.” (Fig., put for the Savior Who worked salvation)
7 Thus says the Lord, the Kinsman-Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One, “Whom their (i.e. Israel's) soul despises (Cp. 53:3. Ps. 42:5,6. Matt. 26:67. 1 Cor. 2:14), to Him Whom the nation (Heb. goi: i.e heathen nation. So called here for its unbelief and rejection of the Messiah) abhors, to a servant of rulers (cp. Ps.2:2. Matt.27:41), Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord That is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and He shall choose You.”
8 Thus says the Lord, “In a time of acceptance have I answered You,(we are almost there. Quoted in 2 Cor.6:2) and in a day of salvation have I helped You: and I will preserve You, and give You for the covenant of a People (cp. 42:6,7. Heb. ’ãm, noy goi as in v.7), to raise up the Land, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; (see 1:7)
9 That You may say to the prisoners (this cannot be the nation, but Messiah), ‘Go forth;’ (cp. 42:7; 61:1) and to them that are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for He That has mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall He cause them to rest. (quoted in Rom.7:16)
11 And I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways shall be exalted. (see 7:5)
12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.“ (probably = China. Occurs only here)
C 13. Introduction. The call to Rejoice.J 14. Zion's despondency. K 15-23-. Answer. Promise. L -23. Yahaveh the only God. J 24. Zion's despondency. K 25,26-. Answer. Prophecy. L -26. Yahaveh. The only God.
13 Shout in triumph, O heaven; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing (see 14:7), O mountains: for the Lord has comforted His People (cp. 40:1; 51:3), and will have mercy upon His afflicted.
14 But Zion said (this sets at rest the conflicting interpretations), “The Lord has forsaken me (see 1:4), and Yehovah has forgotten me.”
K q 15,16. Zion. Not forgotten.
r 17,18. Her sons. Returned.
q 19. Zion. Enlarged.
r 20-23-. Her sons. Replenished.
15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yes, they may forget, yet will I not forget you.
16 Behold, I have graven you upon the palms of My hands (denoting permanence); your walls are continually before me.
17 Your sons shall make haste; your destroyers and they that made you waste shall go forth of you.
18 Lift up your eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to you. “As I live,” says the Lord, “you shall surely cloth yourself with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on you, as a bride does. (first occ. in this connection)
19 For your waste and your desolate places, and the land of your destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed you up shall be far away.
20 The sons which you shall have, after you have lost the other (= of your childlessness, or, of whom you were bereaved), shall say again in your ears, ‘The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.’
21 And shall you say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; and these, where were they?’ ”
22 Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will lift up My hand (Idiom put for "call") to the nations, and set up My standard to the peoples: and they shall bring your sons in their bosom (the folds of the garment forming a large natural pocket; but children were, and still are, usually carried astride the shoulder as soon as they can sit), and your daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. (showing the care they shall receive, for girls are usually left to shift for themselves. See 60:4)
23 And kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their princesses your nursing mothers: they shall bow down to you with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet (fig. denoting subjection and submission, as in Gen.3:14. Cp. Ps. 72:9 and Mic. 7:17);
and you shall know that I am the Lord (see Ex. 6:7): for they shall not be ashamed that wait for Me.” (see Gen.49:18)
24 Shall the prey (see Num. 31:11,12,26,27,32) be taken from a mighty one, or the lawful captive delivered?
25 But thus says the Lord, “Even the captivity of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the tyrant (or ruthless one) shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contends with you, and I will save your sons.
26 And I will feed them that oppress you with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with new wine (the product of the same year):
and all flesh shall know (cp. 40:5; 52:10) that I the Lord am your Savior (or, am saving you) and your Kinsman-Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” (see Gen.49:24)