Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 41:3
He pursued them, [and] passed safely; [even] by the way [that] he had not gone with his feet.
3. by the way feet ] The easiest and most acceptable rendering is: the path with his feet he does not tread, a picture of the celerity of his movements. Other interpretations, such as: “by a path which he had not gone (before) with his feet,” or, “disdaining made roads,” or “not returning on his tracks,” are forced, if not impossible.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He pursued them – When they were driven away. He followed on, and devoted them to discomfiture and ruin.
And passed safely – Margin, as Hebrew, In peace. That is, he followed them uninjured; they had no power to rally, he was not led into ambush, and he was safe as far as he chose to pursue them.
Even by the way that he had not gone with his feet – By a way that he had not been accustomed to march; in an unusual journey; in a land of strangers. Cyrus had passed his early years on the east of the Euphrates. In his conquests he crossed that river, and extended his march beyond even the river Halys to the western extremity of Asia, and even to Egypt and the Red Sea. The idea here is, that he had not traveled in these regions until he did it for purposes of conquest – an idea which is strictly in accordance with the truth of history.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. And passed safely – “He passeth in safety”] The preposition seems to have been omitted in the text by mistake; the Septuagint and Vulgate seem to have had it in their copies; , to pace, beshalom, “prosperously.” It is so in one of De Rossi’s MSS.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He pursued them, and passed safely; went on in the pursuit with great ease, and safety, and success.
Even by the way that he had not gone with his feet; which is added as further evidence of Gods wonderful providence, in encouraging and enabling him to march by unknown paths; which hath oft proved dangerous and destructive to great armies. This also was verified both in Abraham and in Cyrus, as is well known.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. Cyrus had not visited theregions of the Euphrates and westward until he visited them forconquest. So the gospel conquests penetrated regions where the nameof God was unknown before.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He pursued them, and passed safely….. Went on in his work, pursued his great design in subduing the souls of men, and bringing them to the obedience of Christ; and though he had so many enemies, he “passed on safely”; God did not suffer them to set upon him, to do him any harm, even though he was exposed to perils by sea and land, by thieves and robbers, by his own countrymen and Heathens, in city and country, and even by false brethren; see Ac 18:10, it is in the future tense, “he shall pursue them, he shall pass safely” i; or in peace:
even by the way that he had not gone with his feet; travelling in foreign parts, in distant countries, in tracks of land unknown unto him; where he had never been before, even from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum, fully preaching the Gospel of Christ, Ro 15:19.
i “persequetur”, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; “transibit”, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The conqueror is now still further described in futures, which might be defined by , and so express a simultaneous past (synchronistic imperfects), but which it is safer to take as standing traits in the picture drawn of the conqueror referred to. “He pursueth them and marcheth in peace by a course which he never trod with his feet.” He marches victoriously further and further, shalom ,” i.e., “in safety” (or, as an adjective, safely; Job 21:9), without any one being able to do him harm, by a course (accus. Ges. 138, 1) which he has not been accustomed to tread with his feet ( ingredi ).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
3. He pursued them. The Prophet again commends, by the greatness of the victory, the extraordinary kindness of God. It is of the highest importance that he obtained it in a country which was unknown to him; for it is difficult and hazardous to pursue enemies in unknown countries; and how great is the value of a knowledge of places is plainly shewn by history, and daily experienced by those who carry on war. That was no obstacle to Abraham; and hence it is still more evident, that he was led and assisted by the hand of God to conduct his followers courageously.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) He pursued . . .Tenses in the present, as before.
By the way that he had not gonei.e., by a new untrodden path. So Tiglath-Pileser and other Assyrian kings continually boast that they had led their armies by paths that none had traversed before them. (Records of the Past, i. 15, v. 16.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 41:3 He pursued them, [and] passed safely; [even] by the way [that] he had not gone with his feet.
Ver. 3. He pursued them, and passed in safety. ] He got an unbloody victory over the four kings, not losing a man of all those unexpert soldiers. This was a great mercy, if not a miracle. War is usually utrique triste; no matter who wins a sorrow, victory is oft like a golden fishhook, which, lost or broken, cannot be paid for with that it taketh.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
He pursued them: i.e. Abraham pursued them unto Dan. Reference to Pentateuch (Gen 14:14, Gen 14:15). App-92.
way. See note on “path. “Ch. Isa 2:3.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
safely: Heb. in peace, Isa 57:2, Job 5:24
Reciprocal: Gen 14:14 – armed Gen 14:15 – smote Isa 42:16 – lead Heb 7:1 – the slaughter Rev 16:12 – that the