Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 35:3
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
3, 4. An exhortation to the despondent. For the figures of Isa 35:3 see Job 4:3-4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Strengthen ye – That is, you who are the religious teachers and guides of the people. This is an address made by the prophet in view of what he had said and was about to say of the proraised blessings. The sense is, strengthen and sustain the feeble and the desponding by the promised blessings; by the assurances Isa. 34 that all the enemies of God and his people will be destroyed; and that he will manifest himself as their Protector, and send upon them the promised blessings. Or it may be regarded as addressed to the officers and ministers of religion when these blessings should have come; and as being an exhortation to them to make use of the influences, the promises, and the consolations which would attend the coming of the Messiah, to strengthen the feeble, and confirm those who were faint-hearted.
The weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees – Strength resides mainly in the arms, and in the lower limbs, or the knees. If these are feeble, the whole frame is feeble. Fear relaxes the strength of the arms, and the firmness of the knees; and the expressions weak hands, and feeble knees, become synonymous with saying, of a timid, fearful, and desponding frame of mind. Such were to be strengthened by the assurance of the favor of God, and by the consolations which would flow from the reign of the Messiah. The Jews, who looked abroad upon the desolations of their country, were to be comforted by the hope of future blessings; those who lived in those future times were to be consoled by the assurances of the favor of God through the Messiah (compare the notes at Isa 40:1).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Isa 35:3
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Weak hands and feeble knees
I. I shall attempt to show THE IMPORTANCE OF HANDS AND KNEES IN GOING TO HEAVEN. The hands and knees are those parts of the body in which the effects of fear are the most easily seen. Of course, the root of despondency and fear must lie in the heart; it is that which is first moved with terror. But afterwards these extremities, these limbs of action begin to feel the weakness also. Just so the prophet means that wherever the Christian displays most his timidity and his dismay there we must be careful to apply the remedy of comfort.
1. The hands and knees are of the first importance because they represent active duty and supplication. Hence, if the knees be weak and the hands be weak, it is little that we can do.
2. We may readily see what the prophet means by hands and knees if we observe that a Christian, although his hopes are in heaven, stands upon the earth. It is with the hand of faith that the Christian lays hold upon that which is not seen, and endeavours to climb upwards to the skies; it is with his foot that he spurns the earth and all that it calls good or great. Let the Christians foot be weak, and he cannot then despise the things that are seen: but he will be fixing his affection on things on earth and not on things above. Let his hand of faith grow weak, and he cannot lay hold of the things that are in heaven.
3. But you will remember also that there are certain parts of the spiritual pilgrimage where hands and knees are absolutely required. John Bunyan represents Christian as coming to the foot of the hill Difficulty, and he says. I looked then after Christian, to see him go up the hill, where I perceived he fell from running to going, and from going to clambering upon his hands and knees, because of the steepness of the place. Every Christian who knows much about Divine experience will understand what this means.
II. THE ILL EFFECT OF WEAK HANDS AND KNEES.
1. We have already hinted that one ill fruit of a Christian having weak hands and knees is this, that he will not himself be able to make much progress in the Divine life. When I sit down and read the biographies of saints who have gone to heaven, I am astonished at myself, and I can only weep to think how far I am behind these men, and then how much further I must be behind my Divine Master. Surely the examples of eminent saints should spur us onward. But weak hands and feeble knees are the reasons why so few Christians attain to any eminence in the ways and works of God.
2. Weak hands and feeble knees have another ill effect. They prevent our doing any great wonder for the good of the world
3. Again, weak hands and feeble knees very much dishonour Christ. Suppose you have a friend, and you say to him, My friend, I have such confidence in you, that I will trust you with the title-deeds of my estate, and with all I have. Nay, more; I will trust you with my health, with my life. Do what you will with me; I have such faith in your goodness and your wisdom that I am sure you will not be unkind, and will not err. I trust you There is something honourable in faith to the object in whom it is reposed. Now, if you are able, with the strong hand of faith, to bring all you have and give it entire unto God, then He is glorified; but if your hand is weak, and you are hiding away some choice thing that you cannot give up to Him, if you do not stand fully to the surrender, but keep back something from Him, then that weak hand brings dishonour upon God. So also does the feeble knee. When the believer goes to his closet and bows there with his feeble knee, and asks God to bless him, and does not half believe that He will, he dishonours God. But, when a man falls on his knees, and cries, Lord, Thou knowest all things: Thou knowest that such a thing is necessary to me; there is Thy promise; do as Thou hast said, Lord; I know Thou wilt give it me: and when he rises from his knees, goes down and says to his friends, The blessing will come; I have asked for it, and God will hear me; why, such a man honours God.
III. THE CAUSES OF WEAK HANDS AND FEEBLE KNEES.
1. Some Christians have weak hands and feeble knees because they are only infants. Gods family is like every other family; we do not expect the new-born convert to run alone at first. God will not overdrive His lambs. He does not expect long marches from feeble feet. As you are but weak, you shall have lighter duties.
2. A more frequent cause of weak hands and feeble knees is starvation.
3. But, again, fear is the great weakness of mens knees; doubt and distrust are the great relaxers of the strength of mens hands.
4. Sloth may make a man weak in his hands and in his feet. Arms become strong by using them. The blacksmith gets a brawny hand by constantly using his hammer. He who climbs the mountain or walks many a mile a day, becomes strong in his feet. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Weak knees
Earthly life should be a spiritual race or pilgrimage to Mount Zion. We need strong knees to climb with ease steep and rugged hills; and as our spiritual journey may be likened to climbing hills, we need spiritual strength to enable us to do it with comfort to ourselves. If we have weak knees, our journey will be a series of groans, and, perhaps, a succession of grumbles; but when our weak knees are strengthened and our lungs expanded by the delicious atmosphere of the hills, the journey can be done comfortably with sacred songs and continual joy.
I. Weak knees are often caused by MENTAL DEPRESSION. In these mental depressions, human aid is not of much account; we need the presence and comfort of God. Prayer is the best medicine; and if, at the same time, we can get away from the town to the sweet, pure air of the country, and climb a hill, we shall return home with a buoyant heart and an elastic tread.
1. God may allow depression to visit us to subdue our pride. It acts like a scotch on a wheel, or a brake, which prevents the horses dragging the carriage so swiftly downhill as to overbalance themselves. At such times, we are taught that, after all, we must keep pace with our weak brethren.
2. Such times of spiritual depression give us a nature to sympathise with the troubled. As the proverb says, They are of a tender nature who have been skinned themselves.
3. Heaviness of spirit is also needed to give us time for meditation and review of mercies. When you are climbing, you see nothing more than the hill before you; but when you are weary and resting, you can see the glorious landscape for miles. Ah, when weak knees are caused by toiling upwards to get nearer to God, it is a sacred token, which shall result in everlasting strength. When compelled to slacken speed, we see the goodness of God and learn to trust His direction.
II. Our knees are sometimes weakened by MANY AFFLICTIONS. But though we have afflictions which make our knees bend in weakness, yet God has undertaken to give us strength according to our day. If we bear our afflictions with patience, our knees shall be strengthened to do great things for God.
III. Weakness of spiritual knees may be caused by THE WEIGHT OF UNBELIEF. (W. Birch.)
Solicitude for the sorrowful
It as the duty of all men to be careful of the sons of sorrow. There be some who from their very birth are marked by melancholy as her own. The silent shades of sorrow are their congenial haunts; the glades of the forest of grief are the only places where their leaf can flourish. Others there are who through some crushing misfortune are brought so low that they never hold up their heads again, but go from that time forth mourning to their graves. Some there be, again, who, disappointed in their early youth, either in some fond object of their affections, or else in some project of their young ambition, never can dare to face the world, but shrink from contact with their fellows, even as the sensitive plant curls up its tendrils at the touch. In all flocks there must be lambs, and weak and wounded sheep; and among the flock of men, it seems that there must necessarily be some who should more than others prove the truth of Jobs declaration, man is born to trouble even as the sparks fly upwards. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Ye prophets and ministers of God, comfort and encourage Gods people, who are now ready to faint, with hopes and assurance of that salvation which, in due time, I will work for them. He mentions
hands and
knees, because the strength and weakness of any man eminently appears in those parts.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. Strengthen . . . hands . . .confirm . . . kneesThe Hebrew for “strengthen”refers to the strength residing in the hand for grasping andholding a thing manfully; “confirm,” to the firmness withwhich one keeps his ground, so as not to be dislodged by any other[MAURER]. Encourage theJews, now desponding, by the assurance of the blessings promised.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Strengthen ye the weak hands,…. These are the words of the prophet, as the Targum,
“the prophet said, strengthen the weak hands;”
or rather of God, by the prophet, to the converted Gentiles, to those who saw the glory of the Lord; particularly to the ministers of the Gospel, who have to do with weak and feeble persons, who can scarcely lift up their hands, or stand upon their legs, under a sense of sin, in a view of wrath, and immediate ruin and destruction, ready to sink and faint, because of their enemies, or through want of food; and their business is to comfort and strengthen them, by preaching the Gospel, and pointing out the promises of it to them:
and confirm the feeble knees; that so they may keep their ground against their enemies; shake off their fears and trembling; go on their way courageously and rejoicing; run, and not be weary; walk, and not faint: “hands” and “knees” are mentioned particularly, because a man’s strength lies greatly in them; and his weakness is seen by the languor and trembling of them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The prophet now exclaims to the afflicted church, in language of unmixed consolation, that Jehovah is coming. “Strengthen ye the weak hands, and make the trembling knees strong! Say to those of a terrified heart, Be strong! Fear ye not! Behold, your God will come for vengeance, for a divine retribution: He will come, and bring you salvation.” Those who have become weak in faith, hopeless and despairing, are to cheer up; and the stronger are to tell such of their brethren as are perplexed and timid, to be comforted now: for Jehovah is coming naqam (i.e., as vengeance), and g e mul ‘Elohm (i.e., as retribution, such as God the highly exalted and Almighty Judge inflicts; the expression is similar to that in Isa 30:27; Isa 13:9, cf., Isa 40:10, but a bolder one; the words in apposition stand as abbreviations of final clauses). The infliction of punishment is the immediate object of His coming, but the ultimate object is the salvation of His people ( a contracted future form, which is generally confined to the aorist).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Vs. 3-4: A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE IMMATURE
1. The servants of truth are to strengthen and encourage the weak, fearful and despondent by holding before them the faithful promises of Jehovah; promises that WILL NOT FAIL! (vs. 3; Job 4:3-4; Heb 12:12; Isa 41:13).
2. “Behold, your God will come!” His coming will be: with vengeance and recompense upon the enemy, (Isa 1:24-28; Isa 61:2; Isa 63:4; Isa 34:8; Isa 59:17-18; Rom 12:11; and with the manifestation of His saving strength in behalf of Israel, (Isa 12:2; Isa 26:1-4; Isa 33:22; Isa 49:26; Psa 145:18-19; Jer 23:5; Jer 30:7; Eze 37:21-28).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
3. Strengthen ye the weak hands. We might explain this passage generally, as if he had said, “Let those who have feeble hands strengthen them, let; them whose knees tremble and totter compose and invigorate their hearts.” But the following verse shews that the whole of this passage relates to the ministers of the word; for he addresses the teachers of the Church, and enjoins them to exhort, arouse, and encourage weak men whose hearts are broken or east down, that they may be rendered more firm and cheerful. This exhortation is seasonably introduced, because he saw that so many tokens of God’s anger, of which he had spoken, could not do otherwise than fill even the strongest minds with alarm and dread; for, seeing that we are always enfeebled by adversity, when God himself proclaims what may be called open war against us on account of our sins, who would not tremble? But the Prophet commands that they who are cast down and almost lifeless shall be enlivened, and the manner of doing it is explained by him in the following verse.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) Strengthen ye the weak hands . . .Here the words are obviously, as they are quoted in Heb. 12:12, figurative and not literal, and so far suggest a like interpretation for what follows.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3, 4. Strengthen hands confirm knees The officials of the nation are here addressed. They are to infuse new life into the desponding, and to “strengthen” and “confirm” them by holding up to them the promised hastening blessings. With such prospects, it is no time now for discouragement. It is none other than Jehovah of hosts who is interposing. Vengeance for foes, and recompense for his hitherto suffering ones, are both lodged with him, and he is now coming to exercise both. To the prophet these things seemed not far in the future. The validity of these promises was by him undoubted, though his vision did overleap centuries. His was a present faith.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
God’s People Are To Prepare Themselves For Deliverance ( Isa 35:3-7 ).
But those who would participate in the blessing must also prepare themselves, and Isaiah calls on the people to become strong in faith and in looking to God.
Analysis.
a ‘Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees (Isa 35:3).
b To those who are of fearful heart, “Be strong, do not be afraid” (Isa 35:4 a).
b “Behold your God will come with vengeance” (Isa 35:4 b).
a “With the recompense of God, He will come and save you” (Isa 35:4 c).
In ‘a’ they are called on to strengthen their hands and knees, ready in the parallel for the coming of the recompense and salvation of God. And in ‘b’ they are to seek to encourage their own hearts and be strong and unafraid, recognising that in the parallel their God will come with vengeance.
Isa 35:3-4
‘Strengthen the weak hands,
And make firm the feeble knees,
Say to those who are of fearful heart,
“Be strong, do not be afraid.
Behold your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God,
He will come and save you.”’
In the midst of their adversities all thoughts are to be turned on what God will do. The people are to encourage each other with thoughts of what is to happen. Those who are weak at the knees, and those whose hands are weak, are to be strengthened by those who are stronger. They are to make each other strong, looking forward in faith and encouraging the weak in faith to be strong and unafraid on the basis of the promises of God. For His promise is that He will come with vengeance on their enemies, recompensing them for their sinfulness, and with salvation for those who are His, because He will come and deliver them (compare the time of recompense and vengeance in Isa 34:8).
Note that these words are spoken to people still very much under constraint, for they require rescuing from oppressors. But in their oppression they are to endure in expectation of God’s coming blessing.
This is ever to be true of God’s people throughout history, for throughout that history, prior to the final fulfilment of the hope, there will be times of great distress for all His people (Act 14:22), as there would be for ancient Israel. And in this they are to sustain each other. But in the end God’s true people have this certainty, that after trial (assumed by the need to keep strong), the everlasting kingdom will one day be enjoyed in the revealed presence of God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Isa 35:3-4. Strengthen ye the weak hands These words seem rightly to be understood as an address of the prophet to the teachers of the church of that time whereof he speaks, exhorting them, from the promise of the certain deliverance and glorious restoration of the oppressed and afflicted church, to comfort the dejected minds of the pious, and raise their drooping spirits. See Heb 12:12.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
DISCOURSE: 913
ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE WEAK
Isa 35:3-4. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you.
OUR blessed Lord, as the great Shepherd of the sheep, has set an example to all inferior pastors, how to watch over their flock [Note: Eze 34:11-16. Isa 40:11.]. And in the words before us he gives them special direction how to treat the weak and the diseased.
I.
Consider the characters here described
Among the people of God, all of whom are weak as sheep, there are many that, from their peculiar weakness and infirmities, are characterized rather as lambs, or as sheep that are big with young. These are described in the text,
1.
As feeling their weakness
[The hands and feet being those members of the body that are fitted for labour, they not improperly represent the active powers of the soul: and the feebleness which they experience through excessive fatigue, gives us a just idea of a soul weary with its labours, and heavy laden with its spiritual burthens. Many there are that are precisely in this state: they have been maintaining a conflict with sin and Satan; they have been enduring the pressure of many trials; and they scareely know how to support their difficulties any longer: their hands are so weak and their knees so feeble, that they are ready to give up in utter despair [Note: This may be illustrated by Davids case, Psa 38:2-8; Psa 38:17.] ]
2.
As discouraged by reason of it
[Many are the misgiving thoughts that arise in the minds of Gods tempted people. When they find their insufficiency to support their burthens, and to overcome their spiritual enemies, they have great searchings of heart: they begin to doubt whether they have not altogether deceived their own souls; and whether they may not as well cease from those contests which they have hitherto found so ineffectual. They fear that God has cast them off; that all their professions are mere hypocrisy; and that their renewed exertions will only issue in their greater disappointment [Note: Psa 77:2-9.] ]
If there be any present, whose experience accords with this description, we proceed to,
II.
Deliver to them a message from the most high God
God would not that his ministers should ever break a bruised reed, or despise the day of small things: on the contrary, he says, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people. Strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. But, because we should be at a loss to know what to say, and all that we could say would be to no purpose, if it were the mere offspring of our own imaginations, God himself has put words into our mouths; which therefore we may safely, and confidently, deliver.
[Let the drooping and disconsolate now listen as to the voice of God himself; for it is God, and not man, that thus audibly speaks unto them.
Be strong, fear not. This may appear a strange address to those who feel within themselves such reason for despondency: but it is Gods message to them; and therefore in Gods name we deliver it.
But in the text the grounds of this encouragement are stated: and, if duly applied to the soul, they are sufficient to comfort the most distressed, and to invigorate the weakest. Behold then, your God will come: yes, that God who, notwithstanding all your fears, is, and will be, your God. Think what is implied in this relation, and then say, whether you have not in this word alone an inexhaustible fund of consolation.
He will come with vengeance to your enemies, and with a recompence to you. He sees with indignation those evil spirits that assault you, and those ungodly men that despise and persecute you, and all those indwelling lusts that harass and defile you: and he has doomed them all to destruction; your lusts, by the operation of his grace, and your enemies, whether men or devils, by his avenging arm. But with respect to yourselves, there is not a tear, which he has not treasured up in his vial [Note: Psa 56:8.]; nor a sigh, a groan [Note: Psa 38:8-9.], a purpose [Note: 1Ki 8:18.], a wish [Note: 1Ki 14:13.], a thought [Note: Mal 3:16.], which he has not noted in the book of his remembrance, in order to recompense it at the resurrection of the just.
In short, he will come and save you. He is interested in your welfare; and suffers you to be thus tried, and tempted, only for your good [Note: 1Pe 1:6.]. He knows when your strength is gone, and will make your extremity the season of his effectual interposition [Note: Deu 32:36.].
Notice the repetitions in this message; for they surely were not inserted thus for nought. It is God, even God, that will come for your relief: it is not a man, or an angel, but Jehovah himself, to whom all things are alike possible, and alike easy. Moreover, it is said, He will come, he will come; you need not doubt it, for it is as certain as that he himself exists. He may tarry long: but wait his leisure; and he will come at last [Note: Hab 2:3. with 2Ch 15:7.].]
Infer,
1.
How anxious is God for the comfort of his people!
[He charges all his servants to exert themselves for the relief of his peoples minds: and expressly sends them a message of love and mercy under their multiplied afflictions. And, lest they should put away from them the word, as not applicable to themselves, he describes them, not by their attainments, but by their defects; not by their hopes, but by their fears, He describes them by the very terms which they themselves make use of to describe their own state. What marvellous condescension is this! Moreover, he sends them exactly such a message as they themselves would desire, if they were commissioned to declare beforehand what they would consider as an adequate ground of consolation. Can any thing exceed this kindness?
Let us then entertain worthy conceptions of our gracious God; and learn never to doubt his love, or to distrust his care. And, instead of distressing ourselves with fears on account of our own weakness, let us look unto our Almighty Saviour to perfect his own strength by means of it [Note: 2Co 12:9.].]
2.
How differently must ministers conduct themselves towards the different objects of their care!
[That same divine Shepherd who says, I will strengthen that which was sick, adds, But I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment [Note: Eze 34:16. before cited.]. Now there are many who perhaps will bless themselves, that they are strangers to the faintings and fears which are so distressing to others. What message then have we from God to them? Shall we endeavour to confirm and strengthen them? They need not our assistance; they would despise our proffered help. Shall we say to them, Be strong, fear not? Alas! how shall they be strong in the day that God shall deal with them [Note: Eze 22:14 and Isa 10:3.]? They rather need to fear and tremble for the judgments that are coming upon them. God is coming; but he is not their God; for they have never chosen him for their God, nor given themselves up to him as his people. He is coming with awful vengeance, and with a just recompence for all their neglect of him. He is coming not to save, but to destroy them. Let them then hear the message of God to them [Note: 2Th 1:7-9.], and tremble. They must be sick in order to know the value of a physician; and must feel themselves lost, if ever they would be interested in the salvation of Christ [Note: Mar 2:17. Luk 18:13-14.].]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
How delightfully the prophet preacheth consolation to the Old Testament saints, in the prospect of their coming Saviour! This was the one source of holy joy, to which the holy men of old were uniformly directed, when at any time exercises arose. He that was to come became the running verse of the faithful’s song. Mat 11:2-3 ; Luk 2:25-32 . And under the New Testament dispensation, what is it but the same, to give strength to the hands that hang down, in the assurance that he that is to come brings with him the credentials of his commission, in performing the mighty miracles here described, as should be accomplished; Mat 11:5 ; Mar 7:32 . I pray the Reader not to overlook the glories of his person, of whom these things are said, and in the power of his Godhead, by whom they were to be wrought! And with these impressions upon his mind, let him turn to the gospel, and see Jesus, the Lord of life and glory, accomplishing wonders, in nature and grace, both on the bodies and souls of his people!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Isa 35:3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Ver. 3. Strengthen ye the weak hands, ] q.d., Cheer up, my hearts; be of good courage, and God shall strengthen your hearts, all ye that hope in the Lord. Comfort ye also one another with these words, and build up each other in your most holy faith; and I will show you how, and in what terms, you shall do it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Strengthen, &c. Quoted in Heb 12:11, Heb 12:12.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Isa 40:1, Isa 40:2, Isa 52:1, Isa 52:2, Isa 57:14-16, Jdg 7:11, Job 4:3, Job 4:4, Job 16:5, Luk 22:32, Luk 22:43, Act 18:23, Heb 12:12
Reciprocal: Exo 17:12 – stayed up his hands Lev 11:22 – General Deu 20:3 – let not Jos 1:6 – Be strong 1Sa 23:16 – strengthened 2Sa 4:1 – his hands 2Sa 9:7 – Fear not 2Ch 15:7 – ye strong Ezr 4:4 – weakened Ezr 10:4 – be of good Neh 2:17 – come Neh 6:9 – Their hands Job 26:2 – helped Job 29:25 – one that Job 42:11 – they bemoaned Psa 31:24 – Be of Pro 27:17 – so Ecc 4:10 – if Isa 40:9 – be not Isa 42:3 – bruised Eze 21:7 – all hands Dan 5:6 – and his knees Dan 10:18 – he Hos 2:14 – and speak Mic 4:6 – will I Zep 3:16 – be said Zec 8:13 – fear not Act 14:22 – Confirming Act 15:32 – confirmed Act 20:35 – how that Rom 14:1 – weak 1Co 8:9 – weak 2Co 12:9 – for Gal 6:1 – restore Eph 6:10 – be 1Th 5:14 – comfort Heb 12:13 – make Rev 3:2 – strengthen
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 35:3-4. Strengthen ye the weak hands Ye prophets and ministers of God, comfort and encourage his people, who are now ready to faint, with hopes of that salvation which, in due time, he will work for them. The prophet mentions hands and knees, because the strength or weakness of any man eminently appears in those parts. Say to them that are of a fearful heart Who, because of their own weakness and the strength of their enemies, are discouraged and cast down: Hebrew, , that are hasty of heart, that are for betaking themselves to flight, upon the first alarm, and for giving up the cause. Be strong, fear not Resist your fears, confide in the power, love, and faithfulness of God, who has promised to deliver those that trust in him, and has engaged, that as your day is your strength shall be, and you shall become strong. Behold, your God will come Though he seem to be absent, and to have departed from you, he will come and abide with you. He will come with vengeance Namely, upon your enemies; and save you The destruction he brings upon your enemies will be the means of your deliverance and salvation. If we suppose this to be spoken with any reference to the state of the Jews in Babylon, God avenged them when he overthrew the Babylonish empire, and brought them back to their own land. But, undoubtedly, the words are primarily intended of the coming of the Messiah in the flesh, and of the redemption and deliverance of Gods people through him; that is, of such as embraced Christianity, whom God signally avenged for all the malice and cruelty which the Jews had exercised upon them, when, by the Romans, he laid Jerusalem even with the ground, and cut off many hundreds of thousands of them by the sword, by famine, and other ways, for their obstinate rejection of the gospel, and crucifying of their Messiah. Thus Christ is said to have been set for the fall, as well as rising again, of many in Israel.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
35:3 {d} Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
(d) He wills all to encourage one another, and especially the ministers to exhort and strengthen the weak, that they may patiently abide the coming of God, which is at hand.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Those who are alive at the end of the Tribulation will be a small remnant of believers and some unbelievers. Isaiah called the reader to encourage the exhausted and feeble believers of his or her time. They would need to keep their eyes on God. God would come to take vengeance for them and to deliver them (cf. Deu 31:6-7; Deu 31:23; Jos 1:6-7; Jos 1:9; Jos 1:18; Rev 13:9-10; Rev 14:12). He would reward them; they will enter Messiah’s millennial kingdom.