Isaiah 48:13

13 manus quoque mea fundavit terram et dextera mea mensa est caelos ego vocabo eos et stabunt simul

Isaiah 48:13 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 48:13

Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth
Which is ascribed to the Wisdom, Word, and Son of God, ( Proverbs 3:19 ) ( Hebrews 1:10 ) . This Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret of the left hand F11, seeing the work of the heavens is ascribed to the right hand in the following clause; the earth being less honourable than the heavens: and my right hand hath spanned the heavens;
stretched them out as a curtain or canopy over the earth, and measured them out with a span, as easily as a man measures anything with his hand; see ( Isaiah 40:12 ) , when I call unto them, they stand up together;
or, "I called them, and they stood up together", as the Targum; and so may refer to the first creation of them, when at the word of God, and by his almighty fiat, they rose into being at once, ( Psalms 33:9 ) . Kimchi observes, that the houses of Hillell and Shaminai were divided about this matter, which were created first, the heavens or the earth; at which R. Simeon ben Jochai wondered, since, according to the text, they were both created together {l}; though this may be understood of the consistence and permanency of the heavens and the earth, being upheld by the Lord, and by the word of his power, and of the ready obedience of the heavenly bodies to do his will, who, like servants, rise up at once at the word of his command; see ( Isaiah 40:26 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F11 Vid. T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 36. 2.
F12 Vid. T. Bab. Chagigah, fol. 12. 1.

Isaiah 48:13 In-Context

11 propter me propter me faciam ut non blasphemer et gloriam meam alteri non dabo
12 audi me Iacob et Israhel quem ego voco ego ipse ego primus et ego novissimus
13 manus quoque mea fundavit terram et dextera mea mensa est caelos ego vocabo eos et stabunt simul
14 congregamini omnes vos et audite quis de eis adnuntiavit haec Dominus dilexit eum faciet voluntatem suam in Babylone et brachium suum in Chaldeis
15 ego ego locutus sum et vocavi eum adduxi eum et directa est via eius
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.