Isaiah 62

2 a new name. Significant of God’s favour and of Israel’s advancement to higher dignity: see Gen. xvii. 5, 15; xxxii. 28.

4. Forsaken… Desolate… Hephzi-bah… Beulah. See liv. 4, 5. The four names there used, “Azubah” (forsaken), “Shemamah” (desolate), “Hephzibah” (my delight is in her), and “Beulah” (married), were all probably not unfamiliar female names: for the first and third occur in 1 Kings xxii. 42; 2 Kings xxi. 1; and men’s names corresponding to the second are found in 1 Chron. ii. 28, 44; iv. 17; vii. 37.

5 thy sons. That the sons are also spoken of as husbands is simply a combination of the literal and figurative.

6 watchmen. Those whom God had appointed to be the instructors of His people: to whom in the Old Testament the name of “watchmen” is often applied: see lvi. 10; also Ezek. iii. 17; xxxiii. 7.

7. Ye that make mention of the Lord. Rather, as in xliii. 26, “ye that put in remembrance,” or remind Jehovah: comp. Luke xviii. 1-7. “Ye that are the Lord’s remembrancers” (R.V.).

10. Prepare ye the way of the people. See note on xl. 3.

11. His work before Him. See note on xl. 10.