Isaiah 44

— Is there not a lie] That is, a lying vanity “in my right hand?” This was a just appeal to common sense against the abominable stupidity of worshipping idols, which, when wrought up to their highest perfection, can but resemble some great man, but can never be endued with the sense of the poorest idiot, or even of the vilest brute: how much less can any thing of Divine power or knowledge be ascribed to them? The Pagans of old endeavoured to defend their worship of images by saying, that they did not terminate their worship in them, but only used them as a medium to convey their devotions to a Divine invisible being. And some idolatrous Christians have used the same argument for the same purpose. But God, who best knows the nature of religious worship, charges these devotees with idolizing the figures before which they prostrate themselves, not only in this chapter, but in various other places of his holy word. Reading.

Isaiah 44:2

2.—the gates of brass.] In every side of the great square wall which encompassed Babylon were twenty-five gates, one hundred in all, of solid brass; those which led to the river, and those which enclosed the

God calleth Cyrus for his church’s sake. He asserteth his own omnipotency. Before CHRIST about 712. a Deut. 4. 35. 29. & 32. 39. chap. 44. 3.

Isaiah 44:3

3. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, &c.] The waters here spoken of, according to the ordinary style of the Prophets, are the graces of God’s Spirit. Dean Albs. See notes on chap. xxx. 25; xxxv. 6, 7. The plentiful effusion of the Divine Spirit here predicted, Jews and Christians have ever understood to refer to the days of the Messiah. These predictions were then abundantly fulfilled; and we have moreover from our Lord and his Apostles express and clear promises of the communication of the same Spirit to enhighten and assist the minds of Christians in every succeeding age. Bp. Bradford.

4. — I will give thee the treasures of darkness, &c.] The riches which Cyrus found in his conquests amounted to a prodigious value: those parts of Asia abounded in wealth and luxury; Babylon had been heaping up treasures for many years, and the riches of Cressus king of Lydia, whom Cyrus conquered and took prisoner, are in a manner become proverbial. Bp. Newton.

Isaiah 44:4

4, 5. — though thou hast not known me.] That is, Shalt be bred in ignorance of me; and remain so, till I am made known to thee by my Prophet Daniel. Dr. Wells. See note at Ezra 1. 1.

Isaiah 44:5

5. One shall say, I am the Lord’s; &c.] By all the expressions in ver. 5, is denoted the accession of the Gentiles, the increase of the Church. Dr. Wells. U 2 The vanity of idols, and folly of idol makers. Before CHRIST about 712.

name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

c Chap. 41. 4. & 48. 12. Rev. 1. 8. 17. & 22. 13.

Isaiah 44:6

6. Thus saith the Lord,—I am the first, &c.] In the Revelation Jesus Christ says, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last,” Rev. xxii. 13. These titles of “the first” and “the last” are confined in the Prophet to Him alone, “besides whom there is no God.” But Jesus hath assumed these titles to Himself: therefore Jesus is that God, besides whom there is no other. Jones of Nayland.

Isaiah 44:7

7. I form the light, and create darkness: &c.] This seems to be spoken in reference to the Persian sect of the Magians, who held the Being of two first causes, Light, or the good god, who was the author of all good, and Darkness, or the evil god, the author of all evil; and that of the mixture of these two, as they were in a continual struggle with each other, all things were made. Dean Prideaux.

Isaiah 44:8

8.—have not I told thee from that time.] Rather, “from the beginning,” or, “of old.” W. Lowth. See note on chap. xvi. 13.

8. Drop down, ye heavens, &c.] These expressions, taken from the dew and the rain descending from heaven, and making the earth fruitful, and some nearly of the same kind, used Ps. Ixxxv. 9—13, may perhaps be primarily understood to set forth, in a splendid manner, the happy state of God’s people, restored to their country, and flourishing in peace and plenty, in piety and virtue; but they must undoubtedly have a further reference to the blessings of the great redemption by the Messiah. Bp. Lowth. In the prophetic writings the expressions often run so high, as to denote events and characters too gloriously great for the thing or person next at hand; which is esteemed a certain indication of their having in prospect some other more remote, in which they are to find their just completion. Dean Stanhope.

Isaiah 44:9

9.—their delectable things] Their images, upon which they laid out all the cost they could. Compare Dan. xi. 38. W. Lowth.

9. Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! &c.] The Prophet warns the people not to be impatient, but to wait God’s time for accomplishing their redemption: men may contend with their equals, with those who are made of the same clay with themselves, but should not presume to enquire of God the reasons of his proceedings, or find fault with his works of creation or providence, as if not wisely contrived or well-timed. W. Lowth.

Isaiah 44:10

10.—molten a graven image] See the note on chap. xl. 19.

Isaiah 44:11

11. — Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, &c.] These words import, that although God be not obliged to render an account of his proceedings to his creatures, He was graciously pleased, through his Prophets, to resolve any questions proposed concerning his people’s future destiny. W. Lowth. An answer to that effect seems to be contained in the following verses, and the rest of the chapter generally; ver. 13, 14, declaring to God’s people, not only that they shall be liberated from captivity, but that great happiness awaits them; and ver. 20. 22, 23, pointing to the universal call of the Gentiles, and second advent of Christ, as ver. 23, is applied by St. Paul in the passages referred to in the margin. Jos. Mide.

12. I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: This is to be immediately understood of Cyrus, whom God raised up to be the instrument of executing his justice upon the Babylonians, and fulfilling his mercy to the Jews; but many passages, manifestly relating to the deliverance of the Jewish nation effected by Cyrus, are with good reason and upon undoubted authority to be understood of the redemption wrought for mankind by Christ. W. Lowth, Bp. Lowth.

Isaiah 44:14

14. — The labour of Egypt, &c.] All we meet with in this verse must be understood to have respect to religion; predicting that in aftertimes proselytes of various nations should submit themselves to the Church of

Isaiah 44:17

17. And the residue thereof he maketh a god.] The

his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

Isaiah 44:18

18.—for he hath shut their eyes.] The old Translation expresses the sense better, “their eyes are stopped.” W. Lowth.

20. He feedeth on ashes: He feedeth on that which affordeth no nourishment. A proverbial expression for using ineffectual means, and bestowing labour to no purpose. In the same sense Hosea says, “Ephraim feedeth on wind,” chap. xii. 1. Bp. Lowth.

Before CHRIST about 712. courage. dawled. to his heart. which comes of a tree?

God exhorteth Israel to praise him CHAP. XLIV, XLV. for his redemption and omnipotency.

Before CHRIST about 712. cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Isaiah 44:23

23. Sing, O ye heavens; &c.] The expressions here, and in parallel passages, denote the joy to be so great and universal, that even the inanimate parts of the creation are said to be affected with it, and are exhorted to bear a part in the general chorus. W. Lowth.

Isaiah 44:24

24. — I am the Lord—alone;—by myself:] We are not to suppose that this is said to the exclusion of any Person of the blessed Trinity, but only in opposition to creatures or other gods; see chap. ii. 11. 17; xliii. 11. The word God is probably in such places to be understood in a large indefinite sense, comprising the whole Trinity, where the context or other circumstances do not confine the signification and intent to one person only. Dr. Waterland.

Isaiah 44:27

27. That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:] By the remarkable manner in which Babylon was taken did the event exactly correspond with

this prophecy: Jeremiah also has noted it, chap. l. 38; li. 36. See note on chap. xiv. 23. Bp. Lowth.

Isaiah 44:28

28. That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, &c.] Here does Isaiah, near 200 years beforehand, name the very person who should order the enlargement of the Jews: and Jeremiah, chap. xxix. 10, points out the year in which it should happen. Dr. Berriman. Thus God calleth things that are not, that have no existence, as if they were, because He has power to fulfil all his pleasure, and can, whenever He sees fit, produce those things into light, which He suffers to remain unaccomplished for many years after the first prediction. Reading.

Chap. XLV. ver. 1.—the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus.] From the custom which obtained among the Jews of separating, by the ceremony of anointing, both persons and things to particular purposes, the person who is constituted and appointed by God (as Cyrus) to some great office or employment, is said to be “the Lord’s anointed.” Bp. Kidder.

— I will loose the loins of kings.] See note on chap. v. 27.

— to open before him the two leaved gates:] The gates of Babylon within the city, leading down to the river, were left open when Cyrus’s forces entered through the channel in the general disorder occasioned by the festival then celebrated: and the gates of the palace were imprudently opened by the king’s orders, to enquire the cause of the tumult without. Bp. Lowth.