And I will feed thy enemies with their own flesh: and they shall be made drunk with their own blood, as with new wine: and all flesh shall know, that I am the Lord that save thee, and thy Redeemer the Mighty One of Jacob.

“And those who taunt you I will feed their flesh to the beasts of the field. The word מוֹנַיִךְ is an expression akin to (Lev. 25:14) “You shall not taunt (אַל תּוֹנוּ).” This denotes taunting with words, those who anger you with their revilings. and as with sweet wine Heb. וְכֶעָסִיס. The sweetness of wine. they shall become drunk [from] their blood So shall those accustomed to drink blood become drunk from their blood. Now who are they? These are the fowl of the heavens. So did Jonathan render this.”

“Hear, O islands, etc. In this part he pursues the order of the liberation more specifically; and concerning this he does two things. First the people confesses the benefits received; second it receives the promise of things to come, there, I said: in vain, etc. Concerning the first, four benefits are confessed. First, the privilege of the divine election; and it continues why the prophet had above enjoined the people, that they should announce it. Whence immediately is subjoined the voice of the people announcing, and saying, Hear. From the womb, choosing me in the fathers themselves. Ps. 21: From the womb of my mother, God, etc. Second, the efficacy of prayer: and he set the mouth, prayer, as a sword, penetrating even to the ears of God and the depths of his mercy, Eph. ult.: the sword of the spirit, etc. Third, the help of divine protection: in the shadow, that is, under the protection of his power, as an archer hides a chosen arrow, to preserve it. Ps. 16: under the shadow of thy wings, etc.; Ps. 26: he hath hidden me in his tabernacle, etc. Fourth, the glory of the divine power: and he said to me: in thee will I glory; through the great things shown in thee I will appear glorious. Above, 43: every one that calleth upon my name, etc. According to others, this is the voice of Cyrus, whose name was foretold by Isaiah above, 45, before he was born; whose threatening words were as a sword, and he was protected lest his grandfather should kill him, and was kept as a chosen arrow for the appointed time; to whom it was announced that the people of Israel was the servant of God. Otherwise it is expounded of Christ; whose name was foretold by the Angel; the word of preaching, a sword piercing hearts; protected, on account of the weakness of the flesh, by the power of the divinity, and chosen among all for the fulfilling of the salvation of the human race. And he is called Israel, because he was born of the people of Israel according to the flesh. I said: here the Lord promises future benefits: and first he promises the prophet Isaiah exaltation; second, to the people liberation, there, thus saith the Lord the redeemer, etc. Concerning the first, two things. First is set down the allegation of the prophet, setting forth his labor in preaching, although through the fault of the hearers no fruit followed: and he concludes: therefore my judgment, on my behalf, is with the Lord, before him, and my work, as pleasing to him. Jer. 6: the founder hath melted in vain, etc. Second, he sets down God's response: and now thus saith the Lord: and first is signified the acceptance of the allegation, that I may bring back, as if to say: choosing me from the womb of my mother for this, that I might recall his people to him. And yet Israel shall not altogether be gathered, to him through my preaching. And yet I am glorified, etc.; Habac. 3: God, the Lord, is my strength, etc. Second, the response itself is set down, and he said: it is a small thing, as if to say: so greatly will I honor thy ministry that not only among the Jews, but among all the nations, my salvation shall be announced through thee. Rom. 3: is he the God of the Jews only? etc. This too is plainly expounded of Christ, who by his preaching and the consummation of his death made little fruit among the Jews, but enlightened and saved the nations. Likewise also of Cyrus, though more forcedly, who through his kindnesses, according to the Lord's intention, recalled the people to the worship of God, and yet did not succeed, to whom dominion over many nations was given by God. Thus saith the Lord the redeemer, etc. Here he promises liberation: and concerning this he does two things. First he promises liberation; second he excludes their doubt, there, and Sion said, etc. Concerning the first, three things. First, the things preceding liberation, namely the veneration of the Jews, which was the cause of the liberation; recalling their former contempt: contemptible, on account of the people's weakness; abominable, on account of the singularity of their worship; a servant, on account of subjection to diverse nations, above, 18: to a nation rent asunder, etc.; and he sets down the veneration itself: kings shall see the great things I will show for thee, and shall adore, as, according to the letter, Nabuchodonosor, Dan. 2, and Cyrus, and his other princes honored Esdras. Another preamble is the exaltation of the liberating king, namely Cyrus: in an acceptable time, and he does not determine the time of the exaltation: acceptable, when it shall please me to save my people, I have heard, exalting thee into a kingdom, according to thy desire, and the fruit of the exaltation: and I have preserved, etc., for the fulfilling of the covenant of my people. Be revealed, that is, be enlightened. Or of Christ, who in his passion was despised, and judged as it were a servant. Below, 53: we saw him despised, etc., but afterward, according to the letter, adored by kings. Ps. 71: all kings shall adore him, etc.; in an acceptable time, namely the time of grace. 2 Cor. 6: behold, now is the time, etc. Second, he sets down the things consequent upon the liberation, promising to the liberated an abundance of good things: they shall feed in the ways; that is, they shall enjoy consolations as abundantly as sheep enjoy pastures, when they are found even in the way, beyond the usual. Ezech. 34: they shall rest in the grass, etc.; as to the absence of evils, both of want, he shall not hunger, etc., and of harm inflicted, the heat, of tribulation; and the sun, the tyrant causing it. Ps. 120: the sun shall not burn by day, etc.; and he assigns the cause of both. Because he that is merciful, etc.; of waters, of consolations. Ps. 22: the Lord ruleth me. Third, he promises the liberation itself, setting down the preparation of the ways: and I will make all the mountains; that is, the princes will help you to return. Above, 40: every valley shall be filled, etc.; setting down also the return of the captives: behold these from afar, from the east, the sea, the west. Jer. 31: I will bring them from the north, etc.; he sets down also the giving of thanks: praise, ye heavens, etc.; Ps. 68: let the heavens praise him, etc. And Sion said, etc. Here he excludes their doubt: and first that which arose from the divine indignation; second that which arose from their dejection, there, and thou shalt say in the heart, etc.; third that which arose from the power of the enemies, there, shall it be taken away, etc. Concerning the first, two things. First he sets down the doubt: hath forsaken, without help; and therefore I cannot hope for liberation. Baruch 4: I am forsaken, etc.; second he excludes it by the likeness of a mother: is it possible, etc.; Jer. 31: if a son honorable, etc.; third he applies the promise concerning the restoration of the city: and first as to the rebuilding of the walls, setting down the divine purpose: behold, in my hands; as if to say: thus I hold thee in memory, as one who writes, or makes some sign on his hand, that he may be mindful of some thing. Thy walls; as if to say, now I see the rebuilding of thy walls. Job 37: he hideth in the hands, etc.; Ps. 89: a thousand years before the eyes, etc.; and the manner of the fulfillment: builders have come, that is, rebuilders, namely Zorobabel, and Jesus, and others, already in my eyes; the scatterers, the Chaldeans. Zach. 4: the hands of Zorobabel, etc. Second, as to the habitation of men: and concerning this he does three things. First, the gathering together of the citizens: lift up round about, etc.; Baruch 4: look about, Jerusalem, etc. Second, the re-inhabiting of the city, showing that it shall be inhabited. As I live, the manner of an oath; as with an ornament — as a bride with garments, so the city is adorned with citizens. Below, 61: he hath clothed me with the garment of salvation, etc.; showing that it shall be filled with inhabitants: for the desert places, as to inhabitants, the solitudes, as to the tillers, the ruins, as to the destroyed walls. Zach. 2: it shall be inhabited without a wall, etc.; he shows also that it shall be emptied of enemies: and far, etc. Third, he foretells the multitude of the inhabitants: still shall the children of sterility say, that is, those who were born when thou didst believe thyself barren, emptied of inhabitants. Below, 54: enlarge the place of the tent, etc. And thou shalt say in the heart, etc. Here he excludes the second doubt: and first he sets down the wonder, and thou shalt say, out of wonder: barren, because there were not in me men who could beget children; destitute, of divine help. Below, 66: who hath ever heard such, etc. Second he excludes the doubt, setting down the manner of the multitude of the inhabitants: thus saith the Lord: as to four things. First, as to the divine inspiration: behold I will lift up the hand, as it were making a sign; above, 11: he shall lift up a sign among the nations, etc. Second, as to the honorable bringing back: and they shall bring in the arms, in which is signified the help which they had from the nations. Kings, foster-fathers, providing for thee in necessities. Baruch 5: the Lord will bring them to thee, etc. Third, as to the exaltation of the liberated: with the face to the earth, this especially at the time of the Machabees; below, 40: they shall come to thee bowed down, etc. Fourth, he assigns the reason for this: and thou shalt know that I, etc.; Ps. 70: in thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me not be confounded, etc. Shall it be taken away. Here he excludes the third doubt: and first he sets it down, from the strong, Nabuchodonosor; Matth. 12: or how can one enter, etc. Second he excludes it: for thus he saith, first setting down the benefit of the liberation: the captivity, namely of the Jews. Job 29: I broke the jaws of the wicked one, etc.; second, the manner of the liberation, setting down the destruction of the enemies. But them, namely the Chaldeans, they judged, unjustly. Soph. 3: I will kill, etc.; and he sets down the determination of the punishment: and I will feed: either on account of dissension, as above, 9: every man the flesh of the arm, etc., or on account of the multitude of the dead, while the mouth of one fell upon the blood of another, as if he would drink: or on account of famine. Third, he sets down the fruit of the liberation: and all flesh shall know, etc.; above, 40: all flesh shall see, etc.”

“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) Bible Text & Cross-references: Christ shall bring the Gentiles to salvation. God’s love to his Church is perpetual. 1 Give ear, ye islands, and hearken, ye people from afar. *The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother he hath been mindful of my name. 2 *And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword: in the shadow of his hand he hath protected me, and hath made me as a chosen arrow: in his quiver he hath hidden me. 3 And he said to me: Thou art my servant, Israel, for in thee will I glory. 4 And I said: I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength without cause and in vain: therefore my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. 5 And now saith the Lord, that formed me from the womb to be his servant, that I may bring back Jacob unto him, and Israel will not be gathered together: and I am glorified in the eyes of the Lord, and my God is made my strength. 6 And he said: It is a small thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to convert the dregs of Israel. *Behold, I have given thee to be the light of the Gentiles, that thou mayst be my salvation even to the farthest part of the earth. 7 Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his holy One, to the soul that is despised, to the nation that is abhorred, to the servant of rulers: Kings shall see, and princes shall rise up, and adore, for the Lord’s sake, because he is faithful, and for the holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee. 8 Thus saith the Lord: *In an acceptable time I have heard thee, and in the day of salvation I have helped thee: and I have preserved thee, and given thee to be a covenant of the people, that thou mightest raise up the earth, and possess the inheritances that were destroyed: 9 That thou mightest say to them that are bound: Come forth: and to them that are in darkness: Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in every plain. 10 *They shall not hunger, nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun strike them: for he that is merciful to them, shall be their shepherd, and at the fountains of waters he shall give them drink. 11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my paths shall be exalted. 12 Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold these from the north and from the sea, and these from the south country. 13 Give praise, O ye heavens, and rejoice, O earth; ye mountains, give praise with jubilation: because the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy on his poor ones. 14 And Sion said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me. 15 Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb? and if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee. 16 Behold, I have graven thee in my hands: *thy walls are always before my eyes. 17 Thy builders are come: they that destroy thee and make thee waste, shall go out of thee. 18 *Lift up thy eyes round about, and see all these are gathered together, they are come to thee: as I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt be clothed with all these as with an ornament, and as a bride thou shalt put them about thee. 19 For thy deserts, and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction shall now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be chased far away. 20 The children of thy barrenness shall still say in thy ears: The place is too strait for me, make me room to dwell in. 21 And thou shalt say in thy heart: Who hath begotten these? I was barren, and brought not forth, led away, and captive: and who hath brought up these? I was destitute and alone: and these where were they? 22 Thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and will set up my standard to the people. And they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and carry thy daughters upon their shoulders. 23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens thy nurses: they shall worship thee with their face toward the earth, and they shall lick up the dust of thy feet. *And thou shalt know that I am the Lord, for they shall not be confounded that wait for him. 24 Shall the prey be taken from the strong? or can that which was taken by the mighty be delivered? 25 For thus saith the Lord: Yea verily, even the captivity shall be taken away from the strong: and that which was taken by the mighty, shall be delivered. But I will judge those that have judged thee, and thy children I will save. 26 And I will feed thy enemies with their own flesh: and they shall be made drunk with their own blood, as with new wine: and all flesh shall know, that I am the Lord that save thee, and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.”

“feed . . . own flesh--a phrase for internal strifes (Isa 9:20). own blood--a just retribution for their having shed the blood of God's servants (Rev 16:6). sweet wine--that is must, or new wine, the pure juice which flows from the heap of grapes before they are pressed; the ancients could preserve it for a long time, so as to retain its flavor. It was so mild that it required a large quantity to intoxicate; thus the idea here is that very much blood would be shed (Rev 14:10, Rev 14:20). all flesh shall, &c.--the effect on the world of God's judgments (Isa 66:15-16, Isa 66:18-19; Rev 15:3-4). Next: Isaiah Chapter 50”