Ibn Ezra on Isaiah

But now, etc. Now, says the prophet, since you have confessed, God will redeem you. I have called you by My name. I have given you a great distinction; comp. I have called by name Bezaleel (Ex. 31:2); and the distinction is further described in the words thou art mine.

When thou passest through the waters, etc. The peoples are in Scripture compared with rivers and also with fire; comp. A fire is gone out of Heshbon (Num. 21:28). By the waters and the fire the armies of Persia and Media are meant, that were to conquer Babylon.

I gave Egypt for thy ransom. The Egyptians shall be afflicted by the kings of Media.

Therefore will I give men, whom I have created, as I have created thee.

From the east. From Babylon. From the west. From Egypt and Assyria. Comp. Ezr. 6:22.

Give up my children. ולתימן And to the south, תימן is derived from ימין the right.—He will bring them together from the four corners of the earth. My sons, my daughters. The males and females.

קורא = נקרא that calleth, as some explain; but this is wrong. It is to be taken literally. Every one that is called by my name, that is, all that belong to the people of the Lord. And for my glory. To be a glory to my name. בראתיו I have formed it, namely, that nation. עשיתיו I have established it.—R. Salomo, the father of metrical poetry in Hebrew, explained this verse to contain the principles of the creation of the universe ; but this explanation is not in accordance with the context.

הוציא To bring forth, It is infinitive. A blind people, that were blind formerly, although they had eyes. Thus there is a connection between this and the preceding chapters.

Let all the nations be gathered together, etc. If some should say that the Israelites did not know these future events, for they were blind ; but of other nations and their wise men, some knew them perhaps, the question is put, Who among them can declare this, viz. that which shall happen in days to come, and show us former things, past events, which they had announced before they took place. Let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may hear it. ויצדקו that they may be justified with regard to their words; and let them hear, that is, let the witnesses hear the same, and say, It is truth, it was so.

Ye are my witnesses, etc. Israel is addressed. And my servant. The prophet. I am he. This is the sublimest expression of the unity of God; for every other being is different from its real form. Before me, after me. According to some, before me means before the revelation on Sinai, and after me, after the revelation. But it is not at all necessary to depart from the literal meaning of the words: No God was before me, and none will be after me, because God is the first and last. The expression formed (נוצר) is applied here to the word God, in order to imply that a god besides Him can only be one formed by man. Shortsighted people think, that the expression formed used in reference to the Creator, slipped out of the mouth of the prophet; but this is by no means the case ; such critics do not conceive the true meaning of the verse.

I, I. The word is repeated, as if to say, I do not change as the host of heaven does with regard to its centre, nor as earthly things do with regard to substance and form; I can therefore help at every time.

I have declared in Egypt, to save you. And I have caused to hear. I have caused you to hear my voice on Sinai. There was no stranger among you. The Israelites alone were there. And you are my witnesses. You were informed of it by your fathers. And I am God continually; comp. I am the Lord, I change not (Mal. 3:6)

Before the day was, etc. I was God before the existence of day. Therefore, the word גם yea is added. מהיות יום:=מיום When day was not yet. I am he; and since I am God, who can be delivered out of my hand ; I do my desire and will, and none can frustrate my doing.

שלחתי I was sent. Some think that the first person I refers to the prophet; but I am of opinion that God is speaking, because this verse begins, Thus saith the Lord, and the next verse, I am the Lord, The meaning of the phrase is: I have come so hastily, as if I were sent. A very learned man in Spain conjectures, that the Divine Glory, the same heavenly prince of Israel that has been sent to Babylon to redeem Israel, is speaking to the prophet. והורדתי בריחים And have brought down the bars of Babylon, that is, I caused Babylon to be conquered; comp. He hath destroyed and broken her bars (Lam, 2:9). The bars of the gates of the place are meant. וכשדים באניות רנתם And I shall bring down the Chaldæans from their ships of joy, in which they are.

Your holy one. For I shall be your King, to save you.

Which maketh away in the sea. This shows, that the fleet of the enemy will arrive and defeat the Babylonian fleet.

Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, תיל ועזוז the great and powerful army on land; the army of the Chaldæans is meant, that went out to fight against the Persians. דעכו It is Pual, and means they are extinct; comp. ידעך shall be put out (Prov. 20:20)

Remember ye not by words, the former wonders. Neither consider them in your minds.

A new thing. The taking of Babylon, or the fact that the Israelites alone will escape; the latter seems the more probable explanation. I will even make, etc. I shall, besides, produce water in the wilderness for the benefit of those who will return from Babylon to Zion.

The beast of the field shall honour me, for the good which I am doing for it. The dragons are mentioned, because they live in the wilderness. To give drink to my people. I shall do this unto the beasts for the sake of my people.

זה = זו This. This people, that returns from Babylon, is mine.

But thou hast not called me, etc. All the good I do to the Israelites, I am not bound to do; for even the Israelites in Babylon have not sought me. כי יגעת בי That thou be weary of me. Thou hast even not called me; how then shouldst thou be weary for my sake. ישראל O Israel. It is in the Vocative case.

Thou hast not brought me burnt offerings in Babylon. Neither hast thou honoured me (זבחיך) with thy sacrifices, with thy peace-offerings. I have not caused, etc. I have not asked thee to serve me with oblations. Nor wearied thee with incense, to buy incense for me.

קנה בשם=קנה Sweet cane (Ex. 30:23). וחלב זבחיך And with the fat of thy sacrifices, of thy sin offerings. Supply the preposition ב with before חלב fat; comp. בששת=ששת in six (Ex. 20:11). But thou hast made me to serve. This is an anthropomorphism. Through thy sins I was considered by the nations as a slave that has no authority; the same idea is contained in the words which follow: Thou hast wearied me, etc.

For my sake, that my name be not profaned, I shall blot out thy transgressions.

Put me in remembrance, etc. If thou reply that thou hast not sinned against me while being in thy land, and yet I have cast thee out, then put me in remembrance. נשפטה Let us plead together. Let us be ready for judgment. Declare thou thy cause, that thou mayest be justified.

Thy first father hath sinned. Jeroboam, when chosen by the Israelites, to be their king, without the consent of God. ומליציך And thy interpreters. Either the princes, the interpreters of the king, are meant, or the Levites, the interpreters of the priests. Some explain אביך by thy teachers. Comp. 2 Kgs. 12:13; Gen. 4:21; 45:8, and מליציך by thy pupils. As to מליץ interpreter, comp. Gen. 42:23

The princes of the sanctuary. The priests; comp. 1 Chron. 24:5 Yet now hear, etc. This evil I have brought upon thee for thy wickedness,