Chapter Forty-One

1–7. The judgment of the Lord over the nations. 8–20. Consolation of Israel by the granting of Divine help and the coming of the Redeemer, Who will give it victory over enemies and establish its well-being. 21–29. The conclusion of the Most High’s contention with pagan nations and their false gods-idols.

Isa 41:1-7. This entire chapter represents a direct continuation of the previous one, therefore it is regarded by all commentators as the second half of one and the same discourse about the greatness, might, and glory of the Lord — the God of Israel — as those of His properties which constitute the most reliable foundation for serious consolation of Israel, forming the main subject of the entire prophetic discourse. In particular, the section of verses 1–7 stands in the closest connection with verses 15, 17, 23–24 of the preceding chapter.

Isaiah 41:1. Be silent before Me, O islands, and let the nations renew their strength; let them approach and speak; “let us stand together for judgment. “Be silent before Me, O islands... let us stand together for judgment.” Instead of “be silent” in the LXX and Slavonic — “renew yourselves,” which happened owing to the confusion by the translators of two letters very similar in appearance — ר and ש — whereby two completely different words were obtained. But the meaning did not suffer from this, for the call to renewal is found further in the Hebrew text as well, so that chapter 41 begins with the same discourse about renewal with which chapter 40 ends. “Be silent before Me.” When God speaks, man must keep silence (Job 33:31), “Let us stand together for judgment” — says the Almighty to the pagan nations, who hoped in their own strength, calling them to stand before the impartial judgment of history.

Isaiah 41:2. Who raised up one from the east whom righteousness calls to His feet? He gave nations before him, and made him rule over kings; His sword made them like dust, His bow like driven stubble. “Who raised up one from the east whom righteousness calls to His feet... and made him rule over kings?” The Lord proves and exposes the impotence and nothingness of the haughty pagan nations by the prophetic indication of the impending speedy ruin of them under the blows of a new conqueror, whom He will soon raise up as the executor of His wise will. By the direct grammatical sense of the words, the discourse seems to be about events not of the future, but chiefly of the past (“raised up..., called..., made ruler..., made”) and partly of the present time (“pursues,” “goes”). But this is the usual prophetic device, used for greater picturesqueness and expressiveness of speech, as well as for the affirmation of its certainty. The correctness of such an understanding is justified also by the subsequent context of the discourse, namely, by the content of verse 25, where the same fact is already spoken of in the language of future time. “One whom righteousness calls.” A somewhat arbitrary translation: in the Hebrew original stands the word cedek, which means — “righteousness,” not ceadik, — as it should stand if we needed to say “a righteous man.” Hence the LXX and Slavonic, as well as the Peshitta, writing instead of a personal definition a general notion — “righteousness” — more accurately convey the sense of the Hebrew text.) Cyrus (Isa 45:1) and Alexander the Great (Antiq. XI, VIII, 5), whose victories shook the might of paganism and prepared humanity for entry into the Church of Christ” (Commentary, St. Petersburg Professor). However, considering the historical circumstances and taking into account the subsequent context of the discourse (Isa 45:1-4; Isa 46:2), one can, following the majority of ancient and modern commentators (Aben Ezra, Vitringa, Rosenmüller, Delitzsch, Dillmann, Orelli, Condamin, the standard English commentary, etc.), see here an indication of the great and glorious conqueror — Cyrus, king of the Persians. This does not exclude, of course, the possibility of another, typological interpretation of the blessed Jerome, who refers all that is said here about the glorious victor to the Person of Christ and His work, for which he received, among other things, from the prophet not only the title of “one,” but even “the sun of righteousness” (Mal 4:2). As for Cyrus, he could be called a “man of righteousness” in the sense that he was the executive instrument of the righteous judgment of God over wicked nations. “Who raised up one from the east?” And further in verse 25 we read: “I have stirred up one from the north.” If, according to almost universal opinion, we see here an indication of Cyrus, there will be no contradiction in the geographical designation of his rising, for Persia, Edom, and Media — the countries from which Cyrus came — lay to the East, or more precisely to the North-East from Babylon, to which the prophet’s denunciatory discourse was chiefly directed.

Isaiah 41:3. He pursues them, and passes safely, even by paths he had never trod. Verses 3 and 25 present a vivid, dramatic portrayal of the victorious march of a new coming conqueror, who, in calm consciousness of his strength, will pass threateningly through all the powerful states of that time, turn them “into dust and chaff scattered by the wind,” and will trample kings and rulers “like mire and tread like a potter treads clay.” All this, as is known, found brilliant justification in the history of Cyrus, who passed with his victorious army through all the monarchies of the ancient world and turned their kings into his obedient tributaries.

Isaiah 41:4. Who has done and accomplished this? He who calls forth the generations from the beginning; I am the Lord, the first, and with the last I am He. “Who has done and accomplished this?” By this question the Lord wishes to lead the pagan nations (and also, of course, Israel) to a true understanding of historical events as a revelation of the Wisdom and Almightiness of the Creator, with whom no one should dare to compare himself. “He who calls forth the generations from the beginning.” Here is the sole reasonable answer to the preceding question; of course, all historical movements of nations, the fall of once mighty nations and the appearance on the historical stage of others, previously unknown — all this is not the work of blind chance, but of some Almighty rational will (Deut 32:8; Dan 2:21). To Its action must be ascribed also the impending invasion of Cyrus, as is evident from a comparison of this chapter with one of the previous ones (chapter 13 — a prophecy about the fate of Babylon). “I am the first, and with the last I am He.” Amid the rapidly flowing and changing stream of history, towering infinitely above it, stands the Lord alone, Who existed before this stream and, not being subject to its influence, eternally remains the same. “I... the first and with the last.” A beautiful definition of the unity, eternity, and self-existence of God, almost literally repeated later in the Apocalypse: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Rev 22:13). The very indication of these properties of the divine nature was of great importance and diverse significance in this case: it, first of all, sharply emphasized the absoluteness of God (eternity, self-sufficiency, and immutability) in comparison with the limitedness of man (the changeability of times in the life not only of individual people but also of entire nations); secondly, it gave a conception of God as the first Cause and last Fulfiller of everything (first and with the last), and finally, it assured all who believe in the Lord with firm hope that He, as eternally equal to Himself, according to the word of the apostle “cannot deny Himself” (2 Tim 2:13) and, consequently, sooner or later, but inevitably, will fulfill all His promises concerning Israel.

Isaiah 41:5. The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. “The isles saw it, and feared... They drew near, and came together.” Applying the entire prophecy we are considering, in the first place, to Cyrus, it is easy to see in this verse an indication of the terrible confusion which was aroused among the peoples of that time by the extraordinary success of Cyrus, and the striving of their kings, by means of concluding alliances, to oppose his victorious march (the alliance of three kings: the Egyptian — Amasis, the Babylonian — Nabonidus, and the Median — Croesus).

Isaiah 41:6. They helped every one his neighbor; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. The sixth verse speaks still more plainly of the last circumstance.

Isaiah 41:7. The metalsmith encourages the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer him who smites the anvil, saying, It is good for joining; and he fastens it with nails, so it will not slip. “The metalsmith encourages the goldsmith... and he fastens it with nails, so it will not slip.” Regarding the last two verses (6–7), our commentators say that “they remain quite obscure” (Vlastov). Indeed, neither the attempt of some — to see here a discourse about the construction of idols, on which stupid pagans rely (The Pulpit Commentary; Bishop Peter), nor the guess of others, that it is about the preparation of military armor and machines (St. Petersburg Professor and Vlastov) — withstands criticism, for it sharply diverges from the preceding context of the discourse: just before the discourse concerned the complete bewilderment and fear of all nations (verse 5), and suddenly such hopeful expectations (of idols) and such energetic preparations (of military equipment and armor)! It is clear that one does not accord with the other. In view of this, we are inclined to follow the indications of the most recent textual criticism, not only the negative (Duhm, Cheyne, Marti, Orelli), but also the moderate (Lagarde, Condamin), which finds that here some confusion and transposition (alteration) of verses has occurred in chapters 40 and 41, and that, in particular, verses 6 and 7 of chapter 41 and according to logical meaning and according to the verse-metric plan (Condamin) should be placed between verses 19 and 20 of chapter 40, where likewise there was discourse about idols and the same principal terms are used: haras — the woodcarver, the artisan, and cereph — the gold-beater. In the possibility of such a supposition there is nothing impermissible or contradicting orthodox views: after all, it is known that our division into chapters and verses does not belong to the biblical authors themselves, but is a product of much later time. Taking into account the peculiar features of ancient writing and the material itself, the difference of manuscripts and their editions, it is easy to admit also the possibility of some corruption and transposition of the text. The occasion for this transposition might have been the content of verse 6, in which, just as in the preceding one, there is discourse about allied, fraternal mutual help. The second section of this chapter, verses 8–20, contains special consolation to Israel by the promise of divine help in the approaching troubled period. In particular, it consists in the indication of the God-chosen character of Israel (8–9), of his special, gracious help (verse 10), of the weakness and shame of all his enemies (11–12), of the external Divine support of Israel (13–14), and of his fate as an instrument of external punishment of some (15–16a) and internal regeneration and salvation of others (17–19).

Isaiah 41:8. But you, Israel, are my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend; Isaiah 41:9. You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth and called from its remote regions, and said to you: “You are my servant; I have chosen you and not rejected you”; “But you, Israel, are my servant... the seed of Abraham my friend... I have chosen you and not rejected you.” While proclaiming His terrible judgment upon the pagan nations and causing them to tremble in fear for their fate, the Lord addresses His chosen people with tenderness full of love and imparts to it consolation. “Israel, are my servant.” Here we encounter for the first time the term “the servant of the Lord,” which plays such a prominent role in the entire second part of the book of the prophet Isaiah. Later, as we shall see, this term serves the prophet Isaiah as a special predicate for the Person of the suffering Messiah — Who appears as it were the Representative of Israel, and through him of all humanity (Isa 43:1-5; Isa 49:5-7). But here, as well as in a few other places (Isa 42:18-22; Isa 44:1-21; Isa 48:20; Isa 49:3) of his book, the term “the servant of the Lord” is not yet concentrated on one definite Person, but is taken in a general sense, that is, refers to the entire Israelite people. The name of Israel as “the servant of the Lord,” found also in other prophets (Jer 30:10; Jer 46:27; Ezek 28:25; Ezek 37:25), should be recognized as one of the most expressive and powerful: “all the dignity and historical designation of Israel is comprehended in such a definition” (Dillm.), that is, Israel is defined by it both as a True, sincere worshiper of the Most High (a faithful servant) and as His nearest colleague and beloved member of the household. “The seed of Abraham my friend.” Through the indication of the patriarch of Israel — Abraham, who was deemed worthy for his faith even of friendship with God (2 Chr 20:7; Jas 2:23 cf. in the Qur’an — khalil — “friend of God”), all the more is strengthened the thought that Israel, as the descendant of “the friend of God” (“the seed of Abraham”) is especially near and dear to God. “I have chosen you, and not rejected you.” Israel, so often forgetting the faithfulness to the Lord which distinguished his forefathers — the patriarchs (Abraham, Jacob) and repeatedly breaking the covenant with God, naturally could think that this covenant had already been destroyed, and that the Most High had long abandoned His faithless people. But now, for the consolation and encouragement of Israel, God Himself, through the mouth of the prophet, tells it that the infidelity and transgressions of the sons of Israel could not shake the immutability of the Divine predestinations about the entire people; that although the Jewish people, for their repeated heavy transgressions, bears educative punishment, it will never be finally rejected by God (cf. Rom 11:26).

Isaiah 41:10. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be anxious, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, and I will help you, and I will hold you up with my righteous right hand. “Do not fear... I am with you... I will strengthen you and help you and hold you up with my righteous right hand.” This verse closely adjoins the two preceding ones and is as it were their conclusion. “I am with you” — this image is very close and related to the term — “Immanuel,” which means “God with us” (Isa 7:14; Isa 9 and others). “I will strengthen you... and help you and hold you up.” Directly here was probably intended the support, necessary to Israel for the bearing of all the difficulties of the impending Babylonian captivity; and also, of course, the general Divine help to the Jewish people, owing to which, despite all historical calamities, only this one people from all the peoples of antiquity still continues to exist down to the present time.

Isaiah 41:11. Behold, all those incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you shall be as nothing and perish. Isaiah 41:12. You will seek them, and will not find them—those who fight against you; those who war against you will be as nothing, entirely nothing. Isaiah 41:13. For I am the Lord your God; I hold your right hand, saying to you: “Do not fear; I will help you. These verses, without giving any new thought, emphatically emphasize and develop the preceding one — about the complete safety of Israel before his enemies and even about his complete triumph over them. The latter is depicted in such bright and vivid colors that, by the just remark of one of our commentators, in full force these words cannot be referred to any events except the triumph of the Church of Christ over the world (Vlastov). Here, consequently, we have an example of prophetic hyperbole (if we refer all that is said to carnal Israel alone), which, however, receives its full, real meaning if we extend it also to the spiritual Israel, that is, to the Church of Christ.

Isaiah 41:14. Do not fear, little worm Jacob, men of Israel; I will help you, says the Lord, and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. “Do not fear, little worm Jacob, men of Israel... says the Lord, and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.” If the preceding verse, as we have seen, constitutes as it were a transition from discourses about carnal Israel to a discussion of the spiritual one, then the present and subsequent verses already directly concern the future destiny of the New Testament Church. “Do not fear, little worm Jacob, men of Israel.” An exclamation, almost literally repeated by the Savior: “fear not, little flock” (Luke 12:32). Of course, it would be a gross error to exclude from the composition of this prophecy the destiny of carnal, historical Israel, for the prophecies were pronounced, in the first place, for it (with the goal of comforting it), for it served as a type of spiritual Israel, and it, finally, brought forth from its midst the first proselytes of Christianity (the 12 apostles and 70 disciples, who later became apostles). “The Lord and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” In Israel the promise, in Christianity salvation, for “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22, cf. 35–38). Therefore, it is extraordinarily significant in verse 14 the union of the characteristics of God — the Redeemer and the Holy One of Israel. The latter characteristic, proclaimed by Isaiah, is inseparably connected with the name dear to us of the Redeemer, Who after his victory over Hell and death commanded his apostles to preach salvation to all the world and gave believers in Him the power — to become “a threshing sledge” of the universe (see the following verse — Vlastov).

Isaiah 41:15. Behold, I have made you a new sharp threshing instrument with teeth; you will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff. Isaiah 41:16. You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them; and you will rejoice in the Lord and will glory in the Holy One of Israel. “Behold, I have made you a new sharp threshing instrument... you will thresh the mountains and crush them and reduce the hills to chaff. You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away.” In application to historical Israel this again will be a considerable hyperbole, the real kernel of which can only be perceived in the religious-cultural mission which the Jewish people carried out in the ancient world, living in the midst of other peoples, where it gnawed away, like a worm, the roots of paganism and contributed to the triumph of true knowledge of God. A clear example of such a beneficial effect of the sons of Israel on representatives of paganism is given by the history of the prophet Daniel (Dan 3:96; Dan 6:26; Dan 14:1-42). But in full measure all this should be referred to the spiritual Israel and the miraculous action of Gospel preaching, or the Word of God, which “is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb 4:12), as this is beautifully clarified by the blessed Jerome. “I have made you a new threshing instrument, having sharp teeth,” he says: “means that the preaching of the gospel will crush the opposing forces and the spiritual corruption rising against the mind of God, which, by the difference of pride, are called mountains and hills. And when they are carried away and scattered by the whirlwind, Israel will rejoice and be glad in the Lord, the Holy One of Israel” (Blessed Jerome). Isa 41:17-20. This section can almost not be adapted to historical Israel, for it speaks of some special, exceptional well-being of Israel, which it never, after this prophecy, enjoyed, and which has rather a moral than material character. Admitting, however, some possible minimum of relation of this prophecy also to historical Israel, we can find here the general thought that in the fate of the Israeli people, now in the most deplorable and confined condition (“poor,” “needy,” “a thirsty wayfarer in a waterless desert”), there will be improvement with time.

Isaiah 41:17. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst: I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not abandon them. “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none.” Under them are understood here, chiefly, all those “who hunger and thirst for righteousness” in the pre-Christian world, who had long been tormented by the falsehood of paganism and were the first to enter the fence of the Christian Church (cf. Isa 55:1). “I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not abandon them.” The best commentary to this place is afforded by the parallel words of the Savior Himself: “whoever is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37). “This He said concerning the Spirit, which those believing in Him would receive,” explains these words to us the evangelist (John 7:39).

Isaiah 41:18. I will open rivers on the mountains, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. Isaiah 41:19. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia tree, and the myrtle, and the olive tree; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane tree, and the pine tree together: Symbolically they depict a picture of the miraculous transformation of a barren and dry desert into a wonderful blooming garden, abundantly watered by various water basins. “I will open rivers on the mountains... I will make the wilderness a pool of water.” One of the favorite biblical images (Ps 106:35), frequently found also in the prophet Isaiah (Isa 29:17; Isa 30:23-25; Isa 32:15; Isa 35:7). Undoubtedly, to a mountainous and desert-surrounded Palestine this image was well known and therefore especially close. “I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia tree, and the myrtle, and the olive tree... the cypress, the plane tree, and the pine tree.” Learned authors of the English “Pulpit Commentary” after detailed philological analysis of all the tree species named here come to the important conclusion that “the writer of this book was familiar with the Palestinian region, but not familiar with the Babylonian.” This is — a very serious evidence against the Babylonian origin of this chapter, which is insisted upon by the majority of representatives of the modern critical school. The general meaning of all this symbolic picture is that the thirsty desert of paganism, animated by the gracious streams of the Holy Spirit, will be transformed into the blooming garden of the Lord, so that in the form of the New Testament Church of Christ the earth will again be restored to the paradise once lost. And this, of course, should have served as no small consolation to carnal Israel, as the prototype of the new, spiritual Israel, that is, the Church of Christ. Involuntarily at this point come to mind the words of the well-known church hymn: “the church that previously bore no fruit now flourishes through the wood of the cross in strength and confirmation.”

Isaiah 41:20. That they may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord has done this and the Holy One of Israel has created it. “That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together.” The words of this verse represent as it were the concluding answer to the series of questions in verse 21 of the preceding chapter 40: “do you not know? have you not heard? has it not been told you from the beginning? have you not understood?” And then, if you have not understood the truth of the greatness and almightiness of God, then, by themselves, you should understand it now after such an all-around revelation of it by God Himself.” Isa 41:21-29. We have already noted more than once that chapter 41 depicts for you a picture of the judgment of the Lord upon the pagan nations. In every judicial process there are, as is known, two contending parties; in this case the roles are performed, on the one hand — by the Very Existing One and His faithful worshipers, on the other — by the pagan nations with their false gods-idols. The first of the parties has already spoken: the Most High presented detailed and convincing proofs of His Divine dignity — eternity, self-existence, omniscience, and creative-providential, saving and judging force over the world. Now it is the turn of the second party — of the pagan nations, their idols, their priests and soothsayers: let them appear before judgment and give the same indisputable and for all convincing proofs of their enormous claims to dominion over the world (verse 21). The judgment toward this party is very merciful and ready to consider itself satisfied if it fulfills only two, comparatively easy conditions: first, if it utters any prophecy and it is subsequently justified; second, if it proves that it can by its own strength do something whatever, whether good or bad (verses 22–23). But the hostile party does not withstand even such a test, thereby finally revealing its complete nothingness (verse 24). In contrast to it, the Lord has given convincing proof of the most complete fulfillment of both presented conditions: they, first, made a brilliant, history-justified prophecy about the coming victor Cyrus — a prototype of Christ. God did good by raising up this victor and also by giving Jerusalem a herald about him (verses 25–27). After this, the concluding judgment of the court on the guilt of the second party (paganism) becomes evident and indisputable for all (verses 28–29).

Isaiah 41:21. Present your case, says the Lord; bring forth your evidence, says the King of Jacob. “Present your case... bring forth your evidence.” Before, when the Lord was speaking and explaining His actions, the “nations” and “islands” were to maintain respectful silence (verse 1. “Be silent before Me”). Now, when the Lord has finished and they receive freedom to say all they can in their defense. “Says the King of Jacob.” The Lord — God of Israel not without purpose calls Himself here “King” of Jacob, clearly in accordance with the similar title of the majority of the then pagan gods. Thus, for example, “Moloch” means — “king,” “Melkart” — “king of the city,” “Adrammelech” — “glorious king,” “Baal” — “master,” “Adonis” — “my lord,” etc. (The Pulpit Commentary).

Isaiah 41:22. Let them bring them forth, and tell us what will happen: let them tell the former things, what they are; that we may consider them, and know the outcome of them; or make known to us what is coming. Isaiah 41:23. Tell us what is to come in the future, that we may know that you are gods; or do something, good or bad, that we may be amazed and see it together. “Let them bring them forth, and tell us what will happen... in the future, and we will know that you are gods.” The omniscience of gods and their divination of the future was considered in all nations of antiquity as one of the most principal and most obvious signs of their truthfulness (Xenophon, Cyropaedia I, 1. Cicero, “De divinatione” I, 1, c. XXXVIII). “Or do something, good or bad, that we may be amazed.” The testing of divinity by means of miracles was just as widespread in pagan antiquity, as can be seen, for example, from the well-known biblical account of Moses and Aaron in contention with Egyptian sorcerers (Exod 7). But is this really so difficult? will they ask us: can the devil not work some astonishing, to us, evil miracle? Exactly, no, as is proved to us by the history of the righteous Job (Job 1:12) and the miracle of the Gadarene demoniac (Matt 8:31) and as is beautifully explained by the blessed Jerome: “another sign that the idols are not gods,” he says, “is that they can do neither good nor evil. And this is not in the sense that idols, or demons dwelling in idols, did not often do evil, but in the sense that they could only do this when power was given them by the Lord” (Job 1:12, and Matt 8 and others).

Isaiah 41:24. But you are nothing and your work is worthless; an abomination is he who chooses you. “But you are nothing and your work is worthless.” In answer to all the questions presented to them, the pagan idols remain silent and deaf, because, as the psalmist observes: “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; they have eyes, but they see not; they have ears, but they hear not; they have noses, but they smell not; they have hands, but they handle not; they have feet, but they walk not; neither speak they through their throat” (Ps 113:12-15). “And your work is worthless,” that is, empty and vain are also all “the utterances of oracles” and all “the false pagan sorceries.” At best, they were based on skillful use of various natural, but to many unknown, forces of nature (as with the Egyptian sorcerers), and at worst — on equivocation (oracular utterances), bribery, and fraud. It is completely understandable after all this that the Apostle Paul almost literally repeated the words of the prophet Isaiah when he said: “we know that an idol is nothing in the world” (1 Cor 8:4).

Isaiah 41:25. I have raised up one from the north, and he will come: from the rising of the sun he will call upon my name: and he will come upon princes as upon mortar, and as the potter treads clay. Isaiah 41:26. Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know? and beforetime, that we might say, “He is right”? There is none who tells, none who declares, none who hears your words. “I have raised up one from the north... from the rising of the sun he will call upon my name.” To prove that in contrast to pagan gods, the God of Israel is capable of true prophecies and great deeds, He returns to that “man of righteousness” of which there was discourse before (verse 2). As for the repeated indications of the “north” and “east,” they can be seen as symbolic definitions: it is known that “north” — in the language of Holy Scripture — means the realm of darkness, cold, and in general all calamitous condition (Isa 9:1-2; Matt 4:16); whereas “east” — is a synonym for light, warmth, and all prosperity (Gen 2:8; Matt 8:11-13). “He... will call upon my name.” Or, as in the LXX and in Slavonic “will be called by my name.” There are two principal versions in the interpretation of these words: according to one, the coming conqueror, that is, Cyrus — will be a blind instrument of Divine will, its unconscious agent; but, however, such a one through whom the name of God will be glorified, and Cyrus himself will be recognized as a special Divine messenger. According to the other version, Cyrus will be only a passive instrument in the hands of God, but at the same time and an active, conscious confessor of Him. Taking into account that Cyrus, king of the Persians, officially professed the religion of Zoroaster — from all the religious systems of paganism the nearest to Judaism, as Delitzsch says — that he, according to the data of the latest excavations, was a broad syncretist, and that, finally, according to the testimony of other biblical authors, Cyrus knew Judaism and even felt sympathy toward it (Ezra 1:2-4), we are entitled to incline more toward the latter of these opinions.

Isaiah 41:27. The first will say to Zion, “Behold, behold them”; and I will give to Jerusalem a herald of good news. “The first will say to Zion... and I will give to Jerusalem a herald of good news.” From a temporal deliverer of Israel we are transported in thought to an eternal one, to the Savior. The herald given to Jerusalem is He Who “brought grace and truth to the earth” (John 1:17) and “proclaimed the good news” (Luke 4:18; Luke 8:1. Vlastov). “I will give,” he says, “to Zion, that is, to the church, or the multitude of believers, a saving principle, that is, Christ; but I will also comfort Jerusalem, which is likewise the entrance to the church” (Holy Cyril of Alexandria from the Commentary of the St. Petersburg Professor).

Isaiah 41:28. For I looked, and there was no one; and among them there was no counselor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. “And there was no counselor.” Such a discouraging characterization of paganism, but deeply just judgment involuntarily brings our thought back to the preceding context, where the question was asked about counselors of God (Isa 40:13-14).

Isaiah 41:29. Behold, all of them are nothing; their works are nothing; their molten images are wind and confusion. “Behold, all of them are nothing... wind and confusion are their molten images.” Here is the sole possible, logical conclusion from the entire denunciatory discourse of the Lord about the pagan nations (chapters 40–41) and the best summary of His divine judgment upon them and their false gods. Chapter 41, as is evident from all its content, is inseparable from the preceding chapter 40 and constitutes together with it a whole — a discourse consolatory-exhortatory for the Jews and judicial-denunciatory for the pagans. Hence all that has been noted by us about the time of utterance and the character of the composition of the first half of the discourse (chapter 40), with equal right should be extended also to the second half of it (chapter 41). In it, similarly, at first the discourse concerns events of the immediate future — the conquest of Babylon, the chief enemy of the Jews, by Cyrus, king of the Persians, and the deliverance, which he will give to the Jews languishing in the Babylonian captivity (the latter is given only implicitly, by implication); but then the prophet’s gaze goes further and foresees that Great Deliverer, Who is to save all humanity from spiritual captivity and establish the New Testament kingdom of righteousness, happiness, and bliss. To the peculiarities of the composition of chapter 41 one should refer, according to the opinion of some researchers of the text, the transposition of verses that exists in it. One instance of such transposition, recognized by the majority of scholars of the most recent commentators, we have already noted above, in the interpretation of verses 6–7. Another instance of similar transposition Condamin finds in the section 21–29, which, in his opinion, based partly on analysis of content and partly on the requirements of the poetic structure of the discourse, should be placed after verse 5. But here Condamin is almost alone and has an enormous majority of scholars against him. (Condamin, The Book of Isaiah 252–256 p. Paris, 1905). * * * Under the “man of righteousness” — one should see the Christ-Messiah. In the Slavonic translation of verse 4 — “and in the coming I am.” It seems quite possible to consider this as an indication that the coming from the east “man of righteousness” — is the Messiah. Editor’s note. defensive alliance; Editor’s note. In the Slavonic translation from the LXX — “Fear not, Jacob, small Israel, I have helped you.” And does not future time fit here better? See verse 15. Editor’s note.