Isaiah
Verse 1. Lord. He speaks of the redemption of mankind, under the allegory of the return from captivity.
EXPLANATIONS
Isaiah 51
Historical chapter commentary
Isaiah
Verse 2. Alone, and gave him children when he was grown old, and Sara barren. I can surely save you likewise. Calmet.—The example of these great progenitors is set before the Jews. Thus Saint Paul says: Remember your prelates. Hebrews 13. Worthington.
Isaiah
Verse 4. Nations. This was verified when the Bible was translated into Greek, and still more by the preaching of the gospel.
Isaiah
Verse 5. Just. Christ, prefigured by Cyrus, whose empire was very mild. Calmet. 44:28.
Isaiah
Verse 6. Fail. Matthew 24:35. The prosperity of the Jews was not of long duration. But the Church will remain till the end of time.
Isaiah
Verse 9. Proud. Hebrew “Rahab,” Pharao, king of Egypt. Job 26:12. Ezekiel 29:3. Calmet.—God drowned in the water, which had retired for Israel. He will thus destroy the devil. Worthington.
Isaiah
Verse 13. Oppressor. If thou hadst not abandoned God, thou wouldst have had no reason to fear Nabuchodonosor; and his power is now gone.
Isaiah
Verse 14. Fail. Cyrus shall quickly restore the Jews to their country. He shall not lay waste the provinces, like many conquerors.
Isaiah
Verse 16. People. This may refer to Isaias, Cyrus, and so forth as figures of Christ. Calmet. 49:1. He has bestowed greater favours on Christians than Cyrus did on the Jews, opening the kingdom of heaven to true believers, and so forth Ephesians 2:19.
Isaiah
Verse 17. Dregs. Take courage: Babylon’s turn is come. verse 23. Calmet.
Isaiah
Verse 19. Two. War and famine cause desolation and destruction. Worthington.—Jerusalem was reduced to the greatest misery in the last siege under Nabuchodonosor. Lamentations 4:3. Calmet.
Isaiah
Verse 20. Ox, oryx. Hebrew Thua. Deuteronomy 14:5. Bible.—Many accounts respecting it are fabulous. Some understand a sort of wolf, mentioned by Pliny viii. 34. Septuagint “like beet half boiled.”
Isaiah
Verse 23. Over. This inhumanity was not uncommon. Joshua 10:24. Psalms 109:1.