Isa 42:4, 49:5 | JFB | e4.org | 4. fail —faint; man in religion may become as the almost expiring flax-wick ( ), but not so He in His purposes of grace. discouraged —literally, "broken," that is, checked in zeal by discouragements (compare ). ROSENMULLER not so well translates, "He shall not be too slow on the one hand, nor run too hastily on the other." judgment —His true religion, the canon of His judgments and righteous reign. isles . . . wait, &c.—The distant lands beyond sea shall put their trust in His gospel way of salvation. virtually gives the sense, with the inspired addition of another aspect of the same thing, "In his name shall the Gentiles trust " (as "wait for" here means, ). "His law" is not something distinct from Himself, but is indeed Himself, the manifestation of God's character ("name") in Christ, who is the embodiment of the law ( ). "Isles" here, and in , may refer to the fact that the populations of which the Church was primarily formed were Gentiles of the countries bordering on the Mediterranean.

‏ Isaiah 42:4

4. fail—faint; man in religion may become as the almost expiring flax-wick (Isa 42:3), but not so He in His purposes of grace.

discouraged—literally, "broken," that is, checked in zeal by discouragements (compare Isa 49:4, 5). ROSENMULLER not so well translates, "He shall not be too slow on the one hand, nor run too hastily on the other."

judgment—His true religion, the canon of His judgments and righteous reign.

isles . . . wait, &c.—The distant lands beyond sea shall put their trust in His gospel way of salvation. Mt 12:21 virtually gives the sense, with the inspired addition of another aspect of the same thing, "In his name shall the Gentiles trust" (as "wait for" here means, Isa 30:18). "His law" is not something distinct from Himself, but is indeed Himself, the manifestation of God's character ("name") in Christ, who is the embodiment of the law (Isa 42:21; Jer 23:6; Ro 10:4). "Isles" here, and in Isa 42:12, may refer to the fact that the populations of which the Church was primarily formed were Gentiles of the countries bordering on the Mediterranean.

‏ Isaiah 49:5

5. The reason why He was confident that His work would be accepted and rewarded, namely, because He is "glorious in the eyes of Jehovah," &c.

to bring Jacob again to him— (Mt 15:24; Ac 3:26).

Though Israel be not gathered—metaphor from a scattered flock which the shepherd gathers together again; or a hen and her chickens (Mt 23:37). Instead of the text "not," the Keri has the similar Hebrew word, "to Him," which the parallelism favors: "And that Israel may be gathered to Him."

yet—rather, parenthetically. "For I am glorious, &c., and My God is My strength." Then (Isa 49:6) resuming the words from the beginning of Isa 49:5, "He saith" (I repeat), &c. HORSLEY explains, "Notwithstanding the incredulity of the Jews, Messiah shall be glorified in the conversion of the Gentiles," reading as English Version: but if the Keri be read, "Israel shall at one time or other be gathered, notwithstanding their incredulity during Messiah's sojourn on earth."