1Obraťte sluch ke mně, vy ženoucí se za spravedlností, hledající Hospodina, pohleďte ke skále, z níž jste byli vytesáni, a k šachtě studny, z níž jste byli vykopáni; 2pohleďte k Abráhámovi, vašemu otci, a k Sáře, jež vás rodila, neboť jsem ho jediného povolal a požehnal jsem mu a rozmnožil jsem ho. 3Ano, Hospodin potěší Cijjón, potěší všechna jeho rumiště a učiní jeho pustinu jakoby Édenem a jeho step jakoby zahradou Hospodinovou, bude se v něm moci najít veselí a radost, děkování a zvuk hudby. 4Obraťte pozornost ke mně, můj lide, ano, obraťte ke mně uši, mé plémě, neboť z mé blízkosti bude vycházet nauka; a mé právo - za světlo národností je chci uvést v blahé odpočinutí. 5Má spravedlnost je blízka, má záchrana vyšla a mé paže budou soudit národnosti, ostrovy budou na mne čekat a k mé paži vzhlížet. 6Povzneste své oči k nebesům a pohleďte na zem zespod - ano, nebesa se rozplynou jako dým a země musí jako roucho zchátrat a její obyvatelé musejí pomřít tak jako komáři, ale má záchrana bude navždy, aniž se má spravedlnost může zřítit. 7Obraťte sluch ke mně, vy, znající spravedlnost, lid, v jejichž srdci je můj zákon, nemusíte se bát potupy od smrtelníků, ano, nechť nejste otřeseni z jejich posměšných řečí, 8vždyť je jako roucho bude žrát mol, ano, jako vlnu je bude žrát larva, ale má spravedlnost bude navždy a má záchrana do pokolení pokolení. 9Procitni, procitni, vezmi na sebe sílu, paže Hospodinova, procitni jako v den pradávna, pokolení věčností! Zda ty nejsi ta, jež rozsekala Ráhav, probodla netvora? 10Zda ty nejsi ta, jež způsobila vyschnutí moře, vod veliké hlubiny, jež hlubokosti moře učinila cestou k projití vykoupených? 11Tak kéž se osvobození Hospodinovi vracejí a s plesáním a věčnou radostí na své hlavě přijdou na Cijjón; kéž jásotu a radosti dosahují, zármutek a vzdychání prchnou! 12Já, já jsem ON, váš Těšitel; kdo jsi ty, že pociťuješ bázeň před smrtelníkem, jenž musí umřít, ano, před synem člověka, trávou, jež se vyhazuje, 13a zapomněl jsi Hospodina, svého Zhotovitele, roztáhšího nebesa a založivšího zem, a ustavičně, po celý den, máš strach ze vzteku působce úzkosti, jako by se byl upřel na hubení - a kde je vztek působce úzkosti? 14Shrbený bude spěšně uvolněn, aniž půjde do jámy umírat, aniž se bude jeho chleba nedostávat. 15A já jsem Hospodin, tvůj Bůh, bouřící moře, takže jeho vlny hlučí, jehož jméno je Hospodin zástupů, 16i vložil jsem svá slova v tvá ústa a přikryl jsem tě stínem své ruky k postavení nebes a založení země a k povědění Cijjónu: Ty jsi můj lid. 17Prober se, prober se, povstaň, Jerúsaléme, jenž jsi z ruky Hospodinovy vypil číši jeho popuzení, korbel, číši vrávorání jsi vypil, vyprázdnil. 18(Ze všech synů, jež porodil, není poskytujícího mu vedení, ba, ze všech synů, jež vychoval, není uchopujícího jej za ruku.) 19Dvě věci, ty tě potkávají - kdo ti bude projevovat soustrast? -: Zkáza a rozvrat a hlad a meč; kým tě mám potěšit? 20Tvoji synové omdleli, leží na nárožích všech ulic jako teó v čeřenu, plni popuzení Hospodinova, kárání tvého Boha; 21nuže, proto slyš toto, usoužený a opilý, ne však z vína: 22Takto řekl tvůj Pán, Hospodin, jenž se ujímá rozepře svého lidu: Hle, beru číši vrávorání, korbel, číši svého popuzení, z tvé ruky, nebudeš ji již nadále pít, 23nýbrž ji vložím v ruku tvých trapičů, kteří ti říkají: Shoď se, ať můžeme přejít; i činíš svůj hřbet jakoby zemí, ano, jakoby ulicí pro přecházející.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE FAITHFUL REMNANT OF ISRAEL TO TRUST IN GOD FOR DELIVERANCE, BOTH FROM THEIR LONG BABYLONIAN EXILE, AND FROM THEIR PRESENT DISPERSION. (Isa. 51:1-23)
me--the God of your fathers.
ye . . . follow after righteousness--the godly portion of the nation;
Isa 51:7 shows this (
Pro 15:9;
1Tim 6:11). "Ye follow righteousness," seek it therefore from Me, who "bring it near," and that a righteousness "not about to be abolished" (
Isa 51:6-
Isa 51:7); look to Abraham, your father (
Isa 51:2), as a sample of how righteousness before Me is to be obtained; I, the same God who blessed him, will bless you at last (
Isa 51:3); therefore trust in Me, and fear not man's opposition (
Isa 51:7-
Isa 51:8,
Isa 51:12-
Isa 51:13). The mistake of the Jews, heretofore, has been, not in that they "followed after righteousness," but in that they followed it "by the works of the law," instead of "by faith," as Abraham did (
Rom 9:31-
Rom 9:32;
Rom 10:3-
Rom 10:4;
Rom 4:2-
Rom 4:5).
hole of . . . pit--The idea is not, as it is often quoted, the inculcation of humility, by reminding men of the fallen state from which they have been taken, but that as Abraham, the quarry, as it were (compare
Isa 48:1), whence their nation was hewn, had been called out of a strange land to the inheritance of Canaan, and blessed by God, the same God is able to deliver and restore them also (compare
Matt 3:9).
2 alone--translate, "I called him when he was but one" (
Ezek 33:24). The argument is: the same God who had so blessed "one" individual, as to become a mighty nation (
Gen 12:1;
Gen 22:7), can also increase and bless the small remnant of Israel, both that left in the Babylonish captivity, and that left in the present and latter days (
Zech 14:2); "the residue" (
Isa 13:8-
Isa 13:9).
3 For--See for the argument, see on
Isa 51:2.
the garden of the Lord--restoration of the primeval paradise (
Gen 2:8;
Ezek 28:13;
Rev 2:7).
melody--Hebrew, "psalm." God's praises shall again be heard.
4 my people--the Jews. This reading is better than that of GESENIUS: "O peoples . . . nations," namely, the Gentiles. The Jews are called on to hear and rejoice in the extension of the true religion to the nations; for, at the first preaching of the Gospel, as in the final age to come, it was from Jerusalem that the gospel law was, and is, to go forth (
Isa 2:3).
law . . . judgment--the gospel dispensation and institutions (
Isa 42:1, "judgment").
make . . . to rest--establish firmly; found.
light, &c.-- (
Isa 42:6).
5 righteousness . . . near--that is, faithful fulfilment of the promised deliverance, answering to "salvation" in the parallel clause (
Isa 46:13;
Isa 56:1;
Rom 10:8-
Rom 10:9). Ye follow after "righteousness"; seek it therefore, from Me, and you will not have far to go for it (
Isa 51:1).
arms--put for Himself; I by My might.
judge-- (
Isa 2:3-
Isa 2:4;
Ps 98:9).
isles, &c.-- (
Isa 60:9).
arm-- (
Rom 1:16), "the power of God unto (the Gentiles as well as the Jews) salvation."
6 (
Isa 40:6,
Isa 40:8;
Ps 102:26;
Heb 1:11-
Heb 1:12).
vanish away--literally, "shall be torn asunder," as a garment [MAURER]; which accords with the context.
in like manner--But GESENIUS, "Like a gnat"; like the smallest and vilest insect. JEROME translates, as English Version, and infers that "in like manner" as man, the heavens (that is, the sky) and earth are not to be annihilated, but changed for the better (
Isa 65:17).
righteousness--My faithfully fulfilled promise (see on
Isa 51:5).
7 know righteousness--(See on
Isa 51:1).
8 (See on
Isa 50:9;
Job 4:18-
Job 4:20). Not that the moth eats men up, but they shall be destroyed by as insignificant instrumentality as the moth that eats a garment.
9 Impassioned prayer of the exiled Jews.
ancient days-- (
Ps 44:1).
Rahab--poetical name for Egypt (see on
Isa 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
Isa 27:1;
Ps 74:13-
Ps 74:14;
Ezek 32:2, Margin;
Ezek 29:3).
10 it--the arm.
Art not Thou the same Almighty power that . . . ? dried the sea--the Red Sea (
Isa 43:16;
Exod 14:21).
11 (
Isa 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 (
Rev 18:20-
Rev 18:21). There shall be a second exodus (
Isa 11:11-
Isa 11:16;
Isa 27:12-
Isa 27:13).
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 1:24).
sorrow . . . flee away-- (
Rev 21:4).
12 comforteth-- (
Isa 51:3;
Isa 40:1).
thou--Zion.
son of man--frail and dying as his parent Adam.
be made as grass--wither as grass (
Isa 40:6-
Isa 40:7).
13 (
Isa 40:12,
Isa 40:26,
Isa 40:28), 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 (
Ps 21:12;
Ps 7:13;
Ps 11:2) [MAURER].
14 captive exile--literally, one bowed down as a captive (
Isa 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
Jer 38:6,
Jer 38:11,
Jer 38:13;
Gen 37:20).
nor . . . bread . . . fail-- (
Isa 33:16;
Jer 37:21).
15 divided . . . sea--the Red Sea. The same Hebrew word as "make to rest" (
Isa 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 (
Jer 5:22;
Jer 31:35), or English Version (
Isa 51:9-
Isa 51:10, which favors the special reference to the exodus from Egypt).
16 Addressed to Israel, embodied in "the servant of Jehovah" (
Isa 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 (
Isa 49:2;
Isa 50:4-
Isa 50:5;
Isa 59:21;
Deut 18:18;
John 3:34).
covered . . . in . . . shadow of . . . hand--protected thee (see on
Isa 49:2).
plant--rather, "fix" as a tabernacle; so it ought to be rendered (
Dan 11:45). The "new creation," now going on in the spiritual world by the Gospel (
Eph 2:10), and hereafter to be extended to the visible world, is meant (
Isa 65:17;
Isa 66:22; compare
Isa 13:13;
2Pet 3:10-13).
Zion--Its restoration is a leading part in the new creation to come (
Isa 65:17,
Isa 65:19).
17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, &c.-- (
Isa 52:1).
drunk--Jehovah's wrath is compared to an intoxicating draught because it confounds the sufferer under it, and makes him fall (
Job 21:20;
Ps 60:3;
Ps 75:8;
Jer 25:15-
Jer 25:16;
Jer 49:12;
Zech 12:2;
Rev 14:10); ("poured out without mixture"; rather, "the pure wine juice mixed with intoxicating drugs").
of trembling--which produced trembling or intoxication.
wrung . . . out--drained the last drop out; the dregs were the sediments from various substances, as honey, dates, and drugs, put into the wine to increase the strength and sweetness.
18 Following up the image in
Isa 51:17, intoxicated and confused by the cup of God's anger, she has none to guide her in her helpless state; she has not yet awakened out of the sleep caused by that draught. This cannot apply to the Babylonish captivity; for in it they had Ezekiel and Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah, as "guides," and soon awoke out of that sleep; but it applies to the Jews now, and will be still more applicable in their coming oppression by Antichrist.
19 two--classes of evils, for he enumerates four, namely, desolation and destruction to the land and state; famine and the sword to the people.
who shall be sorry for thee--so as to give thee effectual relief: as the parallel clause, "By whom shall I comfort thee?" shows (
Lam 2:11-
Lam 2:13).
20 head of all . . . streets-- (
Lam 2:19;
Lam 4:1).
wild bull--rather, "oryx" [JEROME], or gazelle [GESENIUS], or wild goat [BOCHART]; commonly in the East taken in a net, of a wide sweep, into which the beasts were hunted together. The streets of cities in the East often have gates, which are closed at night; a person wishing to escape would be stopped by them and caught, as a wild animal in a net.
21 drunken . . . not with wine-- (
Isa 29:9; compare
Isa 51:17,
Isa 51:20, here;
Lam 3:15).
22 pleadeth . . . cause-- (
Ps 35:1;
Jer 50:34;
Mic 7:9).
no more drink it-- (
Isa 54:7-
Isa 54:9). This cannot apply to Israel after the return from Babylon, but only to them after their final restoration.
23 (
Isa 49:26;
Jer 25:15-
Jer 25:29;
Zech 12:2).
Bow down that . . . go over--Conquerors often literally trod on the necks of conquered kings, as Sapor of Persia did to the Roman emperor Valerian (
Josh 10:24;
Ps 18:40;
Ps 66:11-
Ps 66:12).
Zion long in bondage (
Isa 51:17-
Isa 51:20) is called to put on beautiful garments appropriate to its future prosperity.