“Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.”
Give. This fresh discourse continues to chap. lvi. 9., relating to the Messias, who is introduced speaking to all the world, Acts xiii. 47., and 2 Corinthians vi. 2. Some apply a part to Cyrus, Isaias, or John the Baptist, as to his figures. (Calmet) — The prophet has foretold the conversion of the Gentiles, as he now does, like an evangelist. (St. Jerome) — Many Jews will embrace the gospel at the end of time. (Worthington)
“And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;”
Sword, penetrating the very soul, (Hebrews iv. 12.) and slaying the wicked, Apocalypse i. 16., and 2 Thessalonians ii. 8. Without Christ, his ministers can apply this sword to little purpose. Cyrus cut asunder the bonds of the captives by his decree. (Calmet) — Grotius improperly explains all of Isaias. (Houbigant)
“And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
Glory. In the Church, God is adored in spirit and truth. Isaias is ordered thus to address the Israelites.
“Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. my work: or, my reward”
God. He will reward the labours of his ministers, though the people be obstinate. The prophets and our Saviour frequently complain, chap. lxv. 2., and Mark ix. 18.
“And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. Though: or, That Israel may be gathered to him, and I may, etc”
Will not. Hebrew, Septuagint, &c., “to be gathered.” (Haydock) — The original text, independent of the Masorets, may have the sense of the Vulgate. Yet there are other proofs of the synagogue’s rejection. (Calmet) — Protestants, “though Israel be not gathered, yet,” &c. Marginal note, or “that Israel may be gathered, and I may,” &c. (Haydock)
“And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. It is: or, Art thou lighter than that thou shouldest, etc preserved: or, desolations”
Earth. St. Paul, explains this of Christ, (Acts xiii.) who said, Go teach all nations, Matthew xxviii. Isaias was one of his first preachers.
“Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. whom man: or, that is despised in soul”
Despised, Christ, Cyrus, or Isaias; though it refer chiefly to our Saviour.
“That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.”
Ways. The captives shall find every convenience. (Calmet)
“Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.”
South. Hebrew Sinim; (Haydock) China, (St. Jerome) or rather Sin, or Pelusium, and Sinai, in Egypt and Arabia. Septuagint, “Persians.” (Calmet)
“But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.”
Sion, the Jews, who will at last be converted in great numbers. (Houbigant)
“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.”
Hands, which were nailed to the cross. Septuagint, “I have delineated thy walls on my hands, and thou art before me always.” (Haydock) — The Assyrians wore such characters on their hands or necks. (Lucian) (Leviticus xix. 28.) (Calmet) — Christ will always love his Church, which is of all times and nations. (Worthington)
“Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.”
Of thee. Sanballat, &c., shall yield to Zorobabel, Nehemias, &c.
“For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.”
Inhabitants. The country was better peopled, (Calmet) and Jerusalem enlarged under the Machabees. (Josephus, Jewish Wars v. 6.)
“The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.”
Barrenness, of which thou complainest. He alludes to the captives who returned, and to Christian converts. (Menochius)
“Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. arms: Heb. bosom”
Shoulders. Thus the Syrians commonly carried children astride. (Cotovic. xiv.)
“And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. nursing fathers: Heb. nourishers queens: Heb. princesses”
Nurses. The Persian kings favoured the captives. The greatest monarchs bow before the prelates of the Church, (Menochius) and kiss the Pope’s toe. They venerate relics, (Haydock) and greatly enrich the Church. (Calmet)
“Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? lawful: Heb. captivity of the just”
Strong. Can I force the Babylonians to yield? Surely, and the devil also, Luke xi. 21. — Mighty. Hebrew, “just,” in lawful war. Septuagint, “unjustly.”
“And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. sweet: or, new”
Flesh. They shall attack one another. (Calmet) — Neriglissor slew Evil-merodac. (Berosus, apud Josephus, contra Apion i.) — Gobrias and Gadatas betrayed and killed Baltassar. (Xenophon iv. 5, 7.) (Calmet) — In their fury they shall tear their own flesh. (Menochius)