But now, etc. Now, says the prophet, since you have confessed, God will redeem you.

I have called you by My name. I have given you a great distinction; comp. I have called by name Bezaleel (Ex. 31:2); and the distinction is further described in the words thou art mine.

When thou passest through the waters, etc. The peoples¹ are in Scripture compared with rivers and also with fire; comp. A fire is gone out of Heshbon (Num. 21:28). By the waters and the fire the armies of Persia and Media are meant, that were to conquer Babylon.

footnotes: ¹ The Hebrew text has השרים the princes, but they are compared neither with rivers nor with fire (comp. I. E. on Num. 21:28); the translation is based on the conjecture, that השרים is a corruption of העמים.

I gave Egypt for thy ransom. The Egyptians shall be afflicted by the kings of Media.²

footnotes: ² Media is here identical with Media and Persia. Kambyses, king of Persia, conquered Egypt 625 B.C.

Therefore will I give men, whom I have created, as I have created thee.

From the east. From Babylon.¹

footnotes: ¹ According to I. E. on c. 49:12, Babylon is in the north of Palestine; but in reality it may be considered as north-east of Jerusalem.

From the west. From Egypt and Assyria.³ Comp. Ezr. 6:22.⁴

footnotes: ³ Assyria is described as in the west of Palestine, and identical with Ethiopia; comp. 18:1, Note 3, and 49:12. ⁴ The words referred to are: And turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God. It is difficult to find out what I. E. intended to prove by this quotation, since it does not give us the least information concerning the position of Assyria. He means perhaps to show that the name of Assyria was not limited to the kingdom of Nineveh, since in the time of Ezra the latter kingdom had ceased to exist.

Give up my children.

ולתימן And to the south, תימן is derived from ימין the right.—He will bring them together from the four corners of the earth.

My sons, my daughters. The males and females.

קורא ═ נקרא that calleth, as some explain; but this is wrong. It is to be taken literally.⁵ Every one that is called by my name, that is, all that belong to the people of the Lord.

footnotes: ⁵ That is, in a passive sense, which is indicated by the form of the Niphal.

And for my glory. To be a glory to my name.

בראתיו *I have formed it,*⁶ namely, that nation.

footnotes: ⁶ A. V., I have created him.

עשיתיו I have established it.⁷—R*.* Salomo, the father of metrical poetry in Hebrew,⁸ explained this verse to contain the principles of the creation of the universe ; but this explanation is not in accordance with the context.⁹

footnotes: ⁷ A. V., I have made him. ⁸ R. Salomo Ibn Gebirol, who is believed to be the first Hebrew poet who wrote whole works in metrical verses. See Zahoth, On Metre. ⁹ According to I. E. this verse is in apposition to בני my sons and בנותי my daughters of the preceding verse, and refers to the Israelites ; the three verbs not differing essentially from each other. According to R. Joseph. Sephardi, Super-commentator of I. E., On the Pentateuch (Gen. 2:4), I. E. refers these three verbs to the creation of matter, the creation of form, and the combination of both. But I. E. cannot be the author of this explanation, because it would overthrow his rendering of ברא, upon which he lays great stress. See c. xl. Note 61, and c. xlv. Note 6.

הוציא *To bring forth,*¹⁰ It is infinitive.

footnotes: ¹⁰ A. V., Bring forth.

A blind people, that were blind formerly, although they had eyes. Thus there is a connection between this and the preceding chapters.¹¹

footnotes: ¹¹ The expression blind people recalls the same expression, used c. 42:18, of those who refuse to believe in the words of the prophet. The word פרשה is not coincident with the term chapter, but is used by I. E. rather in the sense of section, and is therefore translated by the plural chapters.

Let all the nations be gathered together, etc. If some should say that the Israelites did not know these future events, for they were blind ; but of other nations and their wise men, some knew them perhaps, the question is put, Who among them can declare this, viz. that which shall happen in days to come, and show us former things, past events, which they had announced before they took place.

Let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may hear it.¹²

footnotes: ¹² The declaration that some one else, beside the prophet sent from the Lord, had announced events before they took place.

ויצדקו that they may be justified with regard to their words;¹ and¹³

footnotes: ¹ That they foretold future events. I. E. adds this remark, in order to show that even then only the truth of their words may possibly be proved, but their actions, their idolatry, can never be justified. ¹³ A. V., Or.—I. E. refers the conclusion of the verse to the witnesses, so that the words וישמעו ויאמרו אמת are the explanation of עדיהם their witnesses. Others explain this phrase as the second alternative: or, if they are not able to produce witnesses, let them hear what the prophet says, and acknowledge that it is true.

let them hear, that is, let the witnesses hear the same,

and say, It is truth, it was so.

Ye are my witnesses, etc. Israel is addressed. And my servant. The prophet.

I am he. This is the sublimest expression of the unity of God; for every other being is different from its real form.¹⁴

footnotes: ¹⁴ Every creature is, according to the theory of I.E., produced after and by its abstract form in the spiritual world above, but being subject to accidents, it deviates from its abstract original, from its true and perfect form, and is, as it were, not truly itself. To God alone this is not applicable; He is, therefore, said to be Himself in truth, to be always the same.

Before me, after me. According to some, before me means before the revelation on Sinai, and after me, after the revelation.¹⁵ But it is not at all necessary to depart from the literal meaning of the words: No God was before me, and none will be after me, because God is the first and last. The expression formed (נוצר) is applied here to the word God, in order to imply that a god besides Him can only be one formed by man. Shortsighted people think, that the expression formed used in reference to the Creator, slipped out of the mouth of the prophet; but this is by no means the case ; such critics do not conceive the true meaning of the verse.¹

footnotes: ¹⁵ This explanation is intended to oppose the inference, which might be made from the words before me, after me, that God is not without beginning and end. ¹ That there is no God besides Him, not even one formed by Him.

I, I. The word is repeated, as if to say, I do not change as the host of heaven does with regard to its centre, nor as earthly things do with regard to substance and form; I can therefore help at every time.

I have declared in Egypt, to save you.

And I have caused to hear. I have caused you to hear my voice on Sinai.

There was no stranger among you. The Israelites alone were there.

And you are my witnesses. You were informed of it by your fathers.

And I am God continually; comp. I am the Lord, I change not (Mal. 3:6)

Before the day was, etc. I was God before the existence of day. Therefore, the word גם yea is added.

מהיות יום:═מיום When day was not yet.

I am he; and since I am God, who can be delivered out of my hand ;

I do my desire and will, and none can frustrate my doing.

שלחתי *I was sent.*¹⁶ Some think that the first person I refers to the prophet; but I am of opinion that God is speaking, because this verse begins, Thus saith the Lord, and the next verse, I am the Lord, The meaning of the phrase is: I have come so hastily, as if I were sent.¹⁷ A very learned man in Spain conjectures, that the Divine Glory,¹⁸ the same heavenly prince of Israel¹ that has been sent to Babylon to redeem Israel, is speaking to the prophet.

footnotes: ¹⁶ A. V., I have sent. ¹⁷ I. E. seems to have read שֻׁלַּחְתּׅי instead of שׁׅלַּחְתּׅי adopted in our printed Bibles. ¹⁸ The angels, according to I. E., being the uncorporeal first emanation from the divine Glory, are also called הכבוד the divine glory. ¹ Comp. Dan. 10:20.

והורדתי בריחים And have brought down the bars¹⁹ of Babylon, that is, I caused Babylon to be conquered; comp. He hath destroyed and broken her bars (Lam, 2:9). The bars of the gates of the place are meant.

footnotes: ¹⁹ A. V., All their nobles.

וכשדים באניות רנתם And I shall bring down the Chaldæans from their ships of joy, in which they are.²⁰

footnotes: ²⁰ We have to supply the relative אשר before באניות ; lit.: And the Chaldæans. who are in the ships of their joy, scil., I shall bring down from those ships.—The meaning of the verse, according to I. E., is: Both the Babylonian land army and fleet will be utterly destroyed.

Your holy one. For I shall be your King, to save you.

Which maketh away in the sea. This shows, that the fleet of the enemy will arrive and defeat the Babylonian fleet.

Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, תיל ועזוז the great and powerful army²¹ on land; the army of the Chaldæans is meant, that went out to fight against the Persians.

footnotes: ²¹ According to I. E. עזוז is an adjective, meaning powerful, and co-ordinate to גדול great, which is implied in חיל. Comp. I. E. on 45:14.

דעכו It is Pual,¹ and means they are extinct; comp. ידעך shall be put out (Prov. 20:20)

footnotes: ¹ I. E. seems to have read רֹּעֲכוּ instead of the Kal רׇּעֲכוּ comp. Ps. 118:12.

Remember ye not by words, the former wonders.

Neither consider them in your minds.

A new thing. The taking of Babylon, or the fact that the Israelites alone will escape; the latter seems the more probable explanation.²² I will even make, etc. I shall, besides, produce water in the wilderness for the benefit of those who will return from Babylon to Zion.

footnotes: ²² Because, in the first place, Babylon had been taken before by Sennacherib; secondly, the capture of a town does not appear to be a new thing, since many strongholds had been taken before, and this event could not be called by the prophet a new thing ; while it can more properly be said of the deliverance of the oppressed Israelites, who were in numbers and warfare inferior to all other nations.

The beast of the field shall honour me, for the good which I am doing for it. The dragons are mentioned, because they live in the wilderness. To give drink to my people. I shall do this unto the beasts for the sake of my people.

זה ═ זו This. This people, that returns from Babylon, is mine.

But thou hast not called me, etc. All the good I do to the Israelites, I am not bound to do; for even the Israelites in Babylon have not sought me.

כי יגעת בי *That thou be weary of me.*²³ Thou hast even not called me; how then shouldst thou be weary for my sake.

footnotes: ²³ A. V., But thou hast been weary of me.

ישראל O Israel. It is in the Vocative case.

Thou hast not brought me burnt offerings in Babylon.

Neither hast thou honoured me (זבחיך) with thy sacrifices, with thy peace-offerings.²⁴ I have not caused, etc. I have not asked thee to serve me with oblations.

footnotes: ²⁴ The word זבח is used in connection with שלמים to signify peace-offerings (Lev. 3:1), and as a complement of עולותיך, signifying all animal offerings except the holocaust (ib. 17:8), that is, peace and sin-offerings. The word occurring twice in underlinethis/underline passage, is therefore explained to refer each time to a different kind of sacrifice. I. E. refers it first to peace-offerings, probably because of the expression neither hast thou honoured me; believing that sin-offerings can never be an honour to the Almighty; they can only be the symbol of a compensation or a satisfaction for wrongs done as it were against the Almighty; this is properly expressed by the verb הרויתני thou hast satisfied me, or thou hast filled me.

Nor wearied thee with incense, to buy incense for me.

קנה בשם═קנה Sweet cane (Ex. 30:23).

וחלב זבחיך And with the fat of thy sacrifices, of thy sin offerings.²⁴ Supply the preposition ב with before חלב fat; comp. בששת═ששת in six (Ex. 20:11).

footnotes: ²⁴ The word זבח is used in connection with שלמים to signify peace-offerings (Lev. 3:1), and as a complement of עולותיך, signifying all animal offerings except the holocaust (ib. 17:8), that is, peace and sin-offerings. The word occurring twice in underlinethis/underline passage, is therefore explained to refer each time to a different kind of sacrifice. I. E. refers it first to peace-offerings, probably because of the expression neither hast thou honoured me; believing that sin-offerings can never be an honour to the Almighty; they can only be the symbol of a compensation or a satisfaction for wrongs done as it were against the Almighty; this is properly expressed by the verb הרויתני thou hast satisfied me, or thou hast filled me.

But thou hast made me to serve. This is an anthropomorphism. Through thy sins I was considered by the nations as a slave that has no authority; the same idea is contained in the words which follow: Thou hast wearied me, etc.

For my sake, that my name be not profaned, I shall blot out thy transgressions.

Put me in remembrance, etc. If thou reply that thou hast not sinned against me while being in thy land, and yet I have cast thee out, then put me in remembrance.

נשפטה Let us plead together. Let us be ready for judgment.

Declare thou thy cause, that thou mayest be justified.

Thy first father hath sinned. Jeroboam, when chosen by the Israelites, to be their king, without the consent of God.²⁵

footnotes: ²⁵ This statement is not quite correct, since the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh told Jeroboam that God had appointed him to be king over ten tribes (1 Kgs. 11:29—39). The idolatry of Jeroboam should rather be pointed at by I. E.

ומליציך *And thy interpreters.*²⁶ Either the princes, the interpreters of the king, are meant, or the Levites, the interpreters of the priests. Some explain אביך by thy teachers. Comp. 2 Kgs. 12:13; Gen. 4:21; 45:8, and מליציך by thy pupils. As to מליץ interpreter, comp. Gen. 42:23

footnotes: ²⁶ A. V., And thy teachers.

The princes of the sanctuary. The priests; comp. 1 Chron. 24:5

Yet now hear, etc. This evil I have brought upon thee for thy wickedness,