Isaiah
Verse 1. Be. Septuagint “comfort my people.” Let them not be dejected. Bible.—The end of the captivity, and still more the coming of the Messias, afford consolation, ( Calmet.) and to this the prophet chiefly alludes. Worthington.
EXPLANATIONS
Isaiah 40
Historical chapter commentary
Isaiah
Verse 2. Evil. Hebrew and some Latin copies have, “warfare.”—Double. A rigorous chastisement. Revelation 18:6. Calmet.
Isaiah
Verse 3. God, that he may conduct his people from Babylon. Sanchez.—Yet the prophet speaks chiefly of the baptist, (Matthew 3:3. Calmet.) who is evidently foretold. Worthington.
Isaiah
Verse 4. Plain. For the captives, or the conversion of the world. Baruch 5:6.
Isaiah
Verse 5. Glory. God will rescue his people. Christ will redeem mankind.
Isaiah
Verse 6. Field. On the downfall of the empire of Babylon, the Jews were liberated.
Isaiah
Verse 9. Thou, female. How beautiful are the feet of those who announce good tidings! Romans 10:15. Bible.—Thus a feminine noun is applied to Solomon. Eccle. i. Prophets make known to all the coming of the Saviour. Calmet.—Christ preaches from the mountain, and his apostles over the world. Worthington.
Isaiah
Verse 10. Him. Christ will reward and punish. Jeremiah 31:16. Lu. 2:34.
Isaiah
Verse 11. Young, or have lately had young lambs, fœtas. Jesus is the good shepherd. John 10:14.
Isaiah
Verse 12. Who. He now proceeds to shew the difference between God and idols.—Fingers, is not expressed in Hebrew which may denote the epha. Psalms 79:6. Calmet.—God’s power and goodness in the works of the creation, shew what he will do for man. Worthington.
Isaiah
Verse 15. Dust. Hebrew caddak, ( Bible.) “as dok fallen.” Sym.—It may signify an atom. Saint Jerome—If all nations be only like a drop, what portion of it do I occupy? Calmet. verse 17.
Isaiah
Verse 18. Image. Catholics never pretend to represent the Deity, when they depict the Father as a venerable old man, and so forth The do not adore pictures, as our adversaries would insinuate. If we were disposed to cavil, we might bring the same charge against them. For a few weeks ago, “a beautiful altar-piece, painted and presented by the lady of major general Cheney, was put in Horn-sea church, representing Christ blessing the bread and wine.” But Protestants can confine such things to their proper use, and Catholic must adore them. Bible.—“Such things the Jew, Apella, may believe: not I.” Horace.
Isaiah
Verse 19. Silver. Is God like these idols? Bible.—Who knows not that the workman is better than they are? Wisdom 13:11. Calmet.
Isaiah
Verse 20. Wood. Hebrew hamsuccan, ( Bible.) which Septuagint Chal. and S. Jerom explain of a sort of wood used for idols. Moderns take it to be “a rich,” or rather “a poor man. He who is mean in his offering, chooses wood that,” and so forth Calmet. Prot.
Isaiah
Verse 21. Beginning, by the light of nature, and ( Worthington.) has not Moses declared that God alone created the world? Bible.—His power and goodness herein convince us that he will not deny grace. Worthington.
Isaiah
Verse 22. Locusts, compared with the greatest animals.—Nothing. Hebrew “a curtain.” Septuagint Syr. “vault, ( Calmet.) or chamber,” καμαραν.
Isaiah
Verse 23. Searchers. Hebrew “princes to nothing.” Prot. Bible.—Philosophers know nothing independently of God, nor can they subsist without him. Worthington.
Isaiah
Verse 26. Host of heaven, the stars, and so forth Genesis 2:1. Psalms 146:4.
Isaiah
Verse 27. Judgment, or conduct, (Genesis 40:13. Calmet.) as if God minded not our affairs.
Isaiah
Verse 31. Eagles, who grow young, when they get new feathers. Psalms 102:5. Saint Jerome—In this and the following 26 chapters the prophet chiefly comforts his people, as he had rebuked them for their crimes in the first part. Worthington.