Isaiah 49:9

9 saying to the prisoners: Come out, and to those who are in darkness: Show yourselves. They will feed along the pathways, and their pastures will be on all the barren heights.

Isaiah 49:9 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 49:9

That thou mayest say to the prisoners, go forth
God's covenant people, while unconverted, are prisoners; they are in the prison of sin, under the power and dominion of it, and under the guilt of it, and obligation to punishment for it; and they are in the prison of the law, they are transgressors of it, and are accused and convicted by it, and are condemned, and put in prison, and held there; and they are also Satan's prisoners, and are held and led captive by him at his will; and by virtue of the covenant, and the blood of it, these prisoners are set free; and Christ in the. Gospel speaks unto them, and proclaims liberty to them; and by the knowledge of the truth they are made free, and are brought into the liberty of the children of God; and are bid to go forth, and they are brought forth from their prison houses; and bid to go to the house of God, and walk at liberty, enjoying all the privileges and ordinances of the Gospel: to them that are in darkness;
in a state of nature and unregeneracy, which is a state of infidelity and ignorance; when men are in the dark, and know not themselves, nor their lost state and condition; nor the exceeding sinfulness of sin; nor Christ, and the way of salvation by him; nor the Spirit, and the operations of his grace; nor the Scriptures, and the doctrines of them: show yourselves;
among the people of God, in his house and ordinances, when called, converted, and enlightened by Christ; or "be revealed" ^F3 or manifested, when they are known to be, what they were not knows before, the people and children of God. The Targum is,

``be revealed to the light;''

such are called to partake of the light of grace, and to enjoy the light of comfort and communion: they shall feed in the ways;
not in the broad road and highways of sin, but in the ways of God, in the word and ordinances: this denotes the publicness and pleasantness of them, and the plenty of provisions in them; and yet where it might not be expected, and where exposed to enemies: the allusion is to cattle, that are drove from place to place, and as they pass along feed in the ways upon such pasture as they there find; and suggests, that the saints are travellers, and as such have food provided them by the way: and their pastures shall be in all high places;
on hills and mountains, which are often barren and unfruitful. The Targum is,

``in or by rivers of water shall be the place of their habitation.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (wlgh) "revelamini", V. L. Munster, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Isaiah 49:9 In-Context

7 This is what the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One says to one who is despised, to one abhorred by people, to a servant of rulers: "Kings will see and stand up, and princes will bow down, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel-and He has chosen you."

8 This is what the Lord says: I will answer you in a time of favor, and I will help you in the day of salvation. I will keep you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to make them possess the desolate inheritances,

9 saying to the prisoners: Come out, and to those who are in darkness: Show yourselves. They will feed along the pathways, and their pastures will be on all the barren heights.

10 They will not hunger or thirst, the scorching heat or sun will not strike them; for their compassionate One will guide them, and lead them to springs of water.

11 I will make all My mountains into a road, and My highways will be raised up.