Isa 51:9-16 | JFB | STEP | 9. Impassioned prayer of the exiled Jews. ancient days-- ( ). Rahab-- poetical name for Egypt (see on ). dragon-- Hebrew, tannin. The crocodile, an emblem of Egypt, as represented on coins struck after the conquest of Egypt by Augustus; or rather here, "its king," Pharaoh (see on ; , ; , Margin; ).

‏ Isaiah 51:9-16

9. Impassioned prayer of the exiled Jews.

ancient days--(Psa 44:1).

Rahab--poetical name for Egypt (see on Is 30:7).

dragon--Hebrew, tannin. The crocodile, an emblem of Egypt, as represented on coins struck after the conquest of Egypt by Augustus; or rather here, "its king," Pharaoh (see on Is 27:1; Psa 74:13, 14; Eze 32:2, Margin; Eze 29:3).

10. it--the arm.

Art not Thou the same Almighty power that ... ? dried the sea--the Red Sea (Is 43:16; Ex 14:21).

11. (Is 35:10).

Therefore--assurance of faith; or else the answer of Jehovah corresponding to their prayer. As surely as God redeemed Israel out of Egypt, He shall redeem them from Babylon, both the literal in the age following, and mystical in the last ages (Re 18:20, 21). There shall be a second exodus (Is 11:11-16; 27:12, 13).

singing--image from the custom of singing on a journey when a caravan is passing along the extended plains in the East.

everlasting joy--(Jude 24).

sorrow ... flee away--(Re 21:4).

12. comforteth--(Is 51:3; Is 40:1).

thou--Zion.

son of man--frail and dying as his parent Adam.

be made as grass--wither as grass (Is 40:6, 7).

13. (Is 40:12, 26, 28), the same argument of comfort drawn from the omnipotence of the Creator.

as if ... ready, &c.--literally, "when he directs," namely, his arrow, to destroy (Psa 21:12; 7:13; 11:2) [Maurer].

14. captive exile--literally, one bowed down as a captive (Is 10:4) [Maurer]. The scene is primarily Babylon, and the time near the close of the captivity. Secondarily, and antitypically, the mystical Babylon, the last enemy of Israel and the Church, in which they have long suffered, but from which they are to be gloriously delivered.

pit--such as were many of the ancient dungeons (compare Jr 38:6, 11, 13; Ge 37:20).

nor ... bread ... fail--(Is 33:16; Jr 37:21).

15. divided ... sea--the Red Sea. The same Hebrew word as "make to rest" (Is 51:4). Rather, "that terrify the sea," that is, restrain it by My rebuke, "when its waves roar" [Gesenius]. The Hebrew favors Maurer, "that terrify the sea so that the waves roar." The sense favors Gesenius (Jr 5:22; 31:35), or English Version (Is 51:9, 10, which favors the special reference to the exodus from Egypt).

16. Addressed to Israel, embodied in "the servant of Jehovah" (Is 42:1), Messiah, its ideal and representative Head, through whom the elect remnant is to be restored.

put my words in thy mouth--true of Israel, the depository of true religion, but fully realized only in Israel's Head and antitype, Messiah (Is 49:2; 50:4, 5; 59:21; De 18:18; Joh 3:34).

covered ... in ... shadow of ... hand--protected thee (see on Is 49:2).

plant--rather, "fix" as a tabernacle; so it ought to be rendered (Da 11:45). The "new creation," now going on in the spiritual world by the Gospel (Ep 2:10), and hereafter to be extended to the visible world, is meant (Is 65:17; 66:22; compare Is 13:13; 2Pe 3:10-13).

Zion--Its restoration is a leading part in the new creation to come (Is 65:17, 19).