Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 41:28
For I beheld, and [there was] no man; even among them, and [there was] no counselor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
28. For I beheld, and there was] Rather as R.V. And when I look, there is. Cf. Isa 50:2 even amongst them ] Better: and among these, viz., the idols; the previous clause referring to their worshippers.
no counseller ] None who can advise in the present crisis.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For I beheld – I looked upon the pagan world, among all the pretended prophets, and the priests of pagan idolatry.
And there was no man – No man among them who could predict these future events.
No counselor – No one qualified to give counsel, or that could anticipate by his sagacity what would take place.
That, when I asked of them – In the manner referred to in this chapter. There is no one of whom it could be inquired what would take place in future times.
Could answer a word – They were unable to discern what would come to pass, or to predict the events which are referred to here.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 28. Among them – “Among the idols”] For umeelleh, I read umeellim, with the Septuagint, , “and from or among the idols.” See Ex 15:11; Isa 57:5.
R. D. Kimchi has many good observations on this chapter. Bishop Lowth follows him in applying it to Abraham, and not to Cyrus; the whole being spoken in the past tense, which is not used, or rarely, in such a case for the future. Almost the whole of the rabbins understand it of Abraham. On Kimchi’s plan, the following is a paraphrase.
The righteous man – Abram, from the east – the land of his nativity, called the land of the children of the east, Ge 29:1.
Brought him to his feet – Whithersoever his feet went, he preached righteousness and truth; as it is written, “There he proclaimed in the name of JEHOVAH,” Ge 21:31. And he called it vaiyikraehu – that is, tsedek, righteousness, to his feet, enabled him to hold it forth wherever he went.
He called the nations – To leave their idols and worship him who made the universe. He taught them the way of righteousness, truth, and faith. Was there ever a prodigy like to this? A man who had been an idolater, rising up against all the nations of the earth, reproving their faith, and not fearing before them nor their kings! Who stirred up his heart to do this? Was it not the Lord?
Gave the nations before him – And made him rule over kings – Chedorlaomer, and the kings which were with him: whom the Lord gave as dust to his sword, and stubble to his bow.
He pursued them – He and his three hundred and eighteen servants.
He passed safely – shalom for beshalom, in safety; so said, because he lost not one of his men in this expedition. See Kimchi.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For I beheld, Heb. And I beheld; I looked about me to see if I could find any man of them that could certainly and of themselves foretell such future events.
No man; not any, to wit, of the idols; for the word man is sometimes used by the Hebrews of brute creatures, and even of lifeless things, as Isa 34:15; 40:26, and elsewhere.
There was no counsellor; though these idols were oft consulted, and by the help of the devil did sometimes deliver oracles, yet none of them were able to give any solid and certain advice concerning future things.
That, when I asked of them, could answer a word; when I tried their divinity by this character, they had nothing to say for themselves.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
28. no counsellorno one ofthe idolatrous soothsayers who could inform (Nu24:14) those who consulted them what would take place.Compare “counsel of His messenger” (Isa44:26).
when I askedthat is,challenged them, in this chapter.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For I beheld, and there was no man,…. Among all the Pagan priests and prophets, that could foretell things to come; or could prove that their idols did or could say anything in favour of them:
even amongst them, and there was no counsellor: none that could be advocates for these idols, and plead their cause; or could give any good advice and counsel to persons that needed it, and who applied to them or their idols for it:
that, when I asked of them, could answer a word; when asked what they had to say on behalf of their gods they worshipped, were dumb and speechless; moreover, all this may be said of the idols themselves, that there was none among them that could foretell a future event, or give any wholesome counsel to their worshippers, or could say anything in their own defence; and therefore, to close the controversy, the following sentence is pronounced.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
28. I looked, and there was none. After having spoken of himself, the Lord returns to idols; for these are continued contrasts by which a comparison is drawn between God and idols. As if he had said, “I do these things, but idols cannot do them; they have no counsel, or wisdom, or understanding; they cannot give an answer to those that ask them, and cannot yield any alleviation to the wretched.” In this comparison we ought to observe that he plainly shews himself to be God, first, by the prophets and by their doctrine, and, secondly, by his works in a similar manner; and that nothing of this kind is found in idols; from which it follows, that they are not gods, and that we ought to rely on him alone. Besides, the eyes of men are darkened by slothfulness; because they neither inquire, nor consider, nor observe. Thus they are stupified by idols, for they are willingly deceived; because they would immediately perceive the emptiness of idols, if they carefully applied their minds to examine them. This shews that idolaters cannot be excused on the plea of ignorance, for they choose to be blind and to wander in darkness, rather than to see the light and embrace the truth.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(28) For I beheld, and there was no mani.e., no one who had foretold the future. Jehovah, speaking through the prophet, looks round in vain for that.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
28, 29. I beheld All opportunities were given the prophets of idolatry, pagan priests, soothsayers, necromancers, etc., to furnish the first indication of predictive power; but not one ever appeared.
There was no man No one among all the pretenders, no idol divinity, could answer a word.
They are all vanity Nothingness. Idol and his worshippers are utter nothingness! All among them, when they attempt to speak, are wind and confusion.
The address is thus rounded off in this last return to the idol priests and prophets with whom it first started. The first part, as some divide it, (Isa 41:1-24,) contains the judicial pleadings; the second part, (Isa 41:25-29,) recapitulates the evidence and the verdict.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 41:28 For I beheld, and [there was] no man; even among them, and [there was] no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
Ver. 28. For I beheld, and there was no man. ] None to say anything for these dumb idols, why I should not pass a definitive sentence against them. It is, therefore, this –
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
I beheld: Isa 63:5, Dan 2:10, Dan 2:11, Dan 4:7, Dan 4:8, Dan 5:8
answer: Heb. return
Reciprocal: Luk 20:7 – that Rev 5:3 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 41:28-29. For I beheld I looked to see if I could find any of them that could certainly foretel future events; and there was no man Not any of the idols; for the word man is sometimes used by the Hebrews of brute creatures, and even of lifeless things. There was no counsellor Though these idols were often consulted, yet none of them were able to give any solid or certain advice concerning future things. Behold, they are all vanity This is the conclusion of the whole dispute, and the just sentence which God passes upon idols: they are vain things, and falsely called gods. Their molten images are wind Empty and unsatisfying things, and which, like the wind, do quickly pass away and come to nothing; and confusion Confused, useless things, like that rude heap in the beginning of Gods creation, of which this word, , is used, Gen 1:2. He mentions molten images particularly, because their materials were most precious, and more cost and art were commonly bestowed upon them than upon others: but under these he comprehends all images whatsoever.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
41:28 For {b} I beheld, and [there was] no man; even among them, and [there was] no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.
(b) When I looked whether the idols could do these things, I found that they had neither wisdom nor power to do anything: therefore he concludes that all are wicked that trust in such vanities.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
When the Lord looked for a messenger from another god who predicted the coming of Cyrus, He could find none. Not one of them could give any information about his coming (cf. Isa 40:13). So He concluded as He began (Isa 41:24), but this time passing judgment on the idolaters rather than on the idols. "Behold" ends each subsection (Isa 41:24; Isa 41:29). The idolaters are false in the sense of being untrue and delusive. Their works-the idols-are worthless, and their idol images amount to nothing.
Yahweh had challenged the nations to behold the folly of idols (Isa 41:24) and idol worshippers (Isa 41:29), but now He urged them to behold His Servant (Isa 42:1). This Servant would reveal God to the world, something the idols could not do. The Lord first spoke of His Servant (Isa 42:1-4) and then to His Servant (Isa 42:5-9). Who this Servant is does not become clear until later (cf. Isaiah’s identification of Cyrus). Earlier (Isa 41:8-16) the servant was Israel, so the readers would naturally assume that Israel is the servant here too. Other references to Israel as the servant of the Lord are Isa 41:19; Isa 43:10; Isa 44:1-2; Isa 44:21; Isa 45:4; and Isa 48:20. Only later does it become clear that this Servant must be an individual, namely: Messiah. The context and the characteristics ascribed to the servant in each reference to him dictate his identity. That the Servant is not Cyrus is clear from the contrasts between them. [Note: See F. Duane Lindsey, "The Call of the Servant in Isaiah 42:1-9," Bibliotheca Sacra 139:553 (January-March 1982):12-31.] He will be the ideal representative of Israel who will accomplish for the Lord what Israel did not regarding the world (cf. Gen 12:3). Matthew quoted Isa 42:1-4 as finding fulfillment in Jesus Christ (Mat 12:18-21).
"Isaiah’s unique contribution to Old Testament theology is his anonymous suffering servant songs." [Note: Waltke, An Old . . ., p. 845.]
"The idea of ’the servant of Jehovah’ assumed, to speak figuratively, the form of a pyramid. The base was Israel as a whole; the central section was that Israel, which was not merely Israel according to the flesh, but according to the spirit also [i.e., saved Israel] ; the apex is the person of the Mediator of salvation springing out of Israel [i.e., Messiah]. And the last of the three is regarded (1) as the centre of the circle of the promised kingdom-the second David; (2) the centre of the circle of the people of salvation-the second Israel; (3) the centre of the circle of the human race-the second Adam." [Note: Delitzsch, 2:174.]
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The "Servant Songs" |
|
Number |
Passage |
Post Script |
|
1 |
Isa 42:1-4 |
Isa 42:5-9 |
|
2 |
Isa 49:1-6 |
Isa 49:7-13 |
|
3 |
Isa 50:4-9 |
Isa 50:10-11 |
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4 |
Isa 52:13 to Isa 53:12 |
Isaiah 54-55 |
Berhard Duhm coined the term "servant songs" in his German commentary on Isaiah published in 1892. [Note: Berhard Duhm, Das Buch Jesaja.] The commentators vary somewhat in how much of the context they regard as part of these songs. John Martin, for example, took the first song as running through Isa 42:17. [Note: J. Martin, p. 1095.] The first two postscripts, or trailing passages, are divine confirmations of the Servant’s work. The last two are exhortations to respond to the Servant.