*H Give ear, ye islands, and hearken, ye people from afar. The Lord hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother he hath been mindful of my name.
Ver. 1. Give. This fresh discourse continues to C. lvi. 9. relating to the Messias, who is introduced speaking to all the world. Acts xiii. 47. and 2 Cor. vi. 2. Some apply a part to Cyrus, Isaias, or the Baptist, as to his figures. C. — The prophet has foretold the conversion of the Gentiles, as he now does, like an evangelist. S. Jer. — Many Jews will embrace the gospel at the end of time. W.
* Footnote * Jeremias 1 : 5
Before I formed thee in the bowels of thy mother, I knew thee: and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and made thee a prophet unto the nations.* Footnote * Galatians 1 : 15
But when it pleased him who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace,*H And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword: in the shadow of his hand he hath protected me, and hath made me as a chosen arrow: in his quiver he hath hidden me.
Ver. 2. Sword, penetrating the very soul, (Heb. iv. 12.) and slaying the wicked. Apoc. i. 16. and 2 Thess. ii. 8. Without Christ, his ministers can apply this sword to little purpose. Cyrus cut asunder the bonds of the captives by his decree. C. — Grotius improperly explains all of Isaias. Houbigant.
* Footnote * Ephesians 6 : 16
In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one.* Footnote * Hebrews 4 : 12
For the word of God is living and effectual and more piercing than any two edged sword; and reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit, of the joints also and the marrow: and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.* Footnote * Apocalypse 1 : 16
And he had in his right hand seven stars. And from his mouth came out a sharp two-edged sword. And his face was as the sun shineth in his power.*H And he said to me: Thou art my servant Israel, for in thee will I glory.
Ver. 3. Glory. In the Church, God is adored in spirit and truth. Isaias is ordered thus to address the Israelites.
*H And I said: I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength without cause and in vain: therefore my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.
Ver. 4. God. He will reward the labours of his ministers, though the people be obstinate. The prophets and our Saviour frequently complain. C. lxv. 2. Mar. ix. 18.
*H And now saith the Lord, that formed me from the womb to be his servant, that I may bring back Jacob unto him, and Israel will not be gathered together: and I am glorified in the eyes of the Lord, and my God is made my strength.
Ver. 5. Will not. Heb. Sept. &c. "to be gathered." H. — The original text, independent of the Masorets, may have the sense of the Vulg. Yet there are other proofs of the synagogue's rejection. C. — Prot. "though Israel be not gathered, yet," &c. Margin, or "that Israel may be gathered, and I may," &c. H.
*H And he said: It is a small thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to convert the dregs of Israel. Behold, I have given thee to be the light of the Gentiles, that thou mayst be my salvation even to the farthest part of the earth.
Ver. 6. Earth. S. Paul, explains this of Christ, (Acts xiii.) who said, Go teach all nations. Mat. xxviii. Isaias was one of his first preachers.
* Footnote * Acts 13 : 47
For so the Lord hath commanded us: I have set thee to be the light of the Gentiles: that thou mayest be for salvation unto the utmost part of the earth.*H Thus saith the Lord the redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to the soul that is despised, to the nation that is abhorred, to the servant of rulers: Kings shall see, and princes shall rise up, and adore for the Lord's sake, because he is faithful, and for the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee.
Ver. 7. Despised, Christ, Cyrus, or Isaias; though it refer chiefly to our Saviour.
* Footnote * 2_Corinthians 6 : 2
For he saith: In an accepted time have I heard thee and in the day of salvation have I helped thee. Behold, now is the acceptable time: behold, now is the day of salvation.*H That thou mightest say to them that are bound: Come forth: and to them that are in darkness: Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in every plain.
Ver. 9. Ways. The captives shall find every convenience. C.
* Footnote * Apocalypse 7 : 16
They shall no more hunger nor thirst: neither shall the sun fall on them, nor any heat.*H Behold these shall come from afar, and behold these from the north and from the sea, and these from the south country.
Ver. 12. South. Heb. Sinim; (H.) China, (S. Jer.) or rather Sin, or Pelusium, and Sinai, in Egypt and Arabia. Sept. "Persians." C.
*H And Sion said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me.
Ver. 14. Sion, the Jews, who will at last be converted in great numbers. Houbigant.
*H Behold, I have graven thee in my hands: thy walls are always before my eyes.
Ver. 16. Hands, which were nailed to the cross. Sept. "I have delineated thy walls on my hands, and thou art before me always." H. — The Assyrians wore such characters on their hands or necks. Lucian. Lev. xix. 28. C. — Christ will always love his Church, which is of all times and nations. W.
* Footnote * Exodus 13 : 9
And it shall be as a sign in thy hand, and as a memorial before thy eyes; and that the law of the Lord be always in thy mouth, for with a strong hand the Lord hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt.*H Thy builders are come: they that destroy thee and make thee waste shall go out of thee.
Ver. 17. Of thee. Sanballat, &c. shall yield to Zorobabel, Nehemias, &c.
*H For thy deserts, and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction shall now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be chased far away.
Ver. 19. Inhabitants. The country was better peopled, (C.) and Jerusalem enlarged under the Machabees. Jos. Bel. v. 6.
*H The children of thy barrenness shall still say in thy ears: The place is too strait for me, make me room to dwell in.
Ver. 20. Barrenness, of which thou complainest. He alludes to the captives who returned, and to Christian converts. M.
*H Thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and will set up my standard to the people. And they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and carry thy daughters upon their shoulders.
Ver. 22. Shoulders. Thus the Syrians commonly carried children astride. Cotovic. xiv.
*H And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens thy nurses: they shall worship thee with their face toward the earth, and they shall lick up the dust of thy feet. And thou shalt know that I am the Lord, for they shall not be confounded that wait for him.
Ver. 23. Nurses. The Persian kings favoured the captives. The greatest monarchs bow before the prelates of the Church, (M.) and kiss the Pope's toe. They venerate relics, (H.) and greatly enrich the Church. C.
* Footnote * Psalms 71 : 9
Before him the Ethiopians shall fall down: and his enemies shall lick the ground.*H Shall the prey be taken from the strong? or can that which was taken by the mighty, be delivered?
Ver. 24. Strong. Can I force the Babylonians to yield? Surely, and the devil also. Lu. xi. 21. — Mighty. Heb. "just," in lawful war. Sept. "unjustly."
*H And I will feed thy enemies with their own flesh: and they shall be made drunk with their own blood, as with new wine: and all flesh shall know, that I am the Lord that save thee, and thy Redeemer the Mighty One of Jacob.
Ver. 26. Flesh. They shall attack one another. C. — Neriglissor slew Evil-merodac. Beros. c. Ap. i. — Gobrias and Gadatas betrayed and killed Baltassar. Xenoph. iv. 5. and 7. C. — In their fury they shall tear their own flesh. M.