Yǐsaìyàshū 49

1 Zhòng hǎidǎo a , dāng tīng wǒ yán . yuǎnfāng de zhòng mín nǎ , liú xīn ér tīng . zì wǒ chū tāi , Yēhéhuá jiù xuǎn zhào wǒ , zì chū mǔ fù , tā jiù tí wǒde míng .

2 Tā shǐ wǒde kǒu rú kuaì dāo , jiāng wǒ cáng zaì tā shǒu yīn zhī xià . yòu shǐ wǒ chéngwéi mó liàng de jiàn , jiāng wǒ cáng zaì tāde jiàn daì zhī zhōng .

3 Duì wǒ shuō , nǐ shì wǒde púrén Yǐsèliè , wǒ bì yīn nǐ dé róngyào .

4 Wǒ què shuō , wǒ laólù shì túrán , wǒ jìnlì shì xū wú xū kōng , ránér wǒ dāng dé de lǐ bì zaì Yēhéhuá nàli , wǒde shǎngcì bì zaì wǒde shén nàli .

5 Yēhéhuá cóng wǒ chū tāi zào jiù wǒ zuò tāde púrén , yào shǐ Yǎgè guī xiàng tā , shǐ Yǐsèliè dào Tānàli jùjí . ( yuánlái Yēhéhuá kàn wǒ wèi zūnguì , wǒde shén yĕ chéngwéi wǒde lìliang )

6 Xiànzaì tā shuō , nǐ zuò wǒde púrén , shǐ Yǎgè zhòng zhīpaì fùxīng , shǐ Yǐsèliè zhōng dé bǎoquán de guī huí , shàng wèi xiǎoshì , wǒ hái yào shǐ nǐ zuò waìbāngrén de guāng , jiào nǐ shīxíng wǒde jiùēn , zhídào dìjí .

7 Jiùshú zhǔ Yǐsèliè de shèng zhĕ Yēhéhuá , duì nà beì rén suǒ miǎoshì , bĕn guó suǒ zēngwù , guān zhǎng suǒ nüè dāi de , rúcǐ shuō , jūnwáng yào kànjian jiù zhàn qǐ , shǒulǐng yĕ yào xià baì , dōu yīn xìnshí de Yēhéhuá , jiù shì jiǎnxuǎn nǐ Yǐsèliè de shèng zhĕ .

8 Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , zaì yuènà de shíhou wǒ yīngyún le nǐ , zaì zhĕngjiù de rìzi wǒ jǐ zhù le nǐ , wǒ yào bǎohù nǐ , shǐ nǐ zuò zhòng mín de zhōngbǎo , ( zhōngbǎo yuánwén zuò yuē ) fùxīng biàn dì , shǐ rén chéngshòu huāngliáng zhī dì wèi yè .

9 Duì nà beì kúnbǎng de rén shuō , chūlai ba . duì nà zaì hēiàn de rén shuō , xiǎnlù ba . tāmen zaì lù shang bì dé yǐnshí , zaì yīqiè jìng guāng de gāo chù bì yǒu shíwù .

10 Bùjībù kĕ , yán rè hé liè rì bì bù shānghaì tāmen , yīnwei liánxù tāmende , bì yǐndǎo tāmen , lǐng tāmen dào shuǐ quán pángbiān .

11 Wǒ bì shǐ wǒde zhòng shān chéngwéi dà dào , wǒde dà lù yĕ beì xiū gāo .

12 Kàn nǎ , zhèxie cóng yuǎnfāng lái , zhèxie cóng bĕi fāng , cóng xī fāng lái , zhèxie cóng qín guó lái . ( qín yuánwén zuò xī ní )

13 Zhū tiān nǎ , yīngdāng huānhū . dàdì a , yīngdāng kuaìlè . zhòng shān nǎ , yīngdāng fā shēng gē chàng . yīnwei Yēhéhuá yǐjing ānwèi tāde bǎixìng , yĕ yào liánxù tā kùnkǔ zhī mín .

14 Xī \'ān shuō , Yēhéhuá lí qì le wǒ , zhǔ wàngjì le wǒ .

15 Fùrén yān néng wàngjì tā chī nǎi de yīnghái , bù liánxù tā suǒ shēng de érzi . jíhuò yǒu wàngjì de , wǒ què bù wàngjì nǐ .

16 Kàn nǎ , wǒ jiāng nǐ míng kè zaì wǒ zhǎng shang , nǐde qiáng yuán cháng zaì wǒ yǎnqián .

17 Nǐde érnǚ bì jísù guī huí , huǐhuaì nǐde , shǐ nǐ huāng feì de , bì dōu lí nǐ chū qù .

18 Nǐ jǔmù xiàng sìfāng guānkàn , tāmen dōu jùjí lái dào nǐ zhèlǐ . Yēhéhuá shuō , wǒ zhǐ zhe wǒde yǒngshēng qǐshì , nǐ bìyào yǐ tāmen wèi zhuāngshì peìdaì , yǐ tāmen wèi huá daì shùyào , xiàng xīn fù yíyàng .

19 Zhìyú nǐ huāng feì qī liáng zhī chù , bìng nǐ beì huǐhuaì zhī dì , xiànjīn zhòng mín jūzhù bì xiǎn wèi taì zhǎi . tūn miè nǐde bì lí nǐ yáo yuǎn .

20 Nǐ bì tīngjian sāng zǐ zhī hòu suǒ shēng de érnǚ shuō , zhè dìfang wǒ jūzhù taì zhǎi , qiú nǐ gĕi wǒ dìfang jūzhù .

21 Nàshí nǐ xīnli bì shuō , wǒ jì sāng zǐ dú jū , shì beìlǔ de , piǎo liú zaì waì , shuí gĕi wǒ shēng zhèxie , shuí jiāng zhèxie yǎng dà ne . piĕ xià wǒ yī rén dú jū de shíhou , zhèxie zaì nàli ne .

22 Zhǔ Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , wǒ bì xiàng liè guó jǔ shǒu , xiàng wàn mín shù lì dà qí , tāmen bìjiāng nǐde zhòng zǐ huái zhōng bào lái , jiāng nǐde zhòng nǚ jiān shang káng lái .

23 Liè wáng bì zuò nǐde yǎng fù , wáng hòu bì zuò nǐde rǔmǔ . tāmen bìjiāng liǎn fú dì , xiàng nǐ xià baì , bìng tiǎn nǐ jiǎo shang de chéntǔ . nǐ biàn zhīdào wǒ shì Yēhéhuá , dĕnghòu wǒde bì bù zhì xiūkuì .

24 Yǒng shì qiǎng qù de qǐnéng duó huí , gāi lǔlǜe de qǐnéng jiĕ jiù ma .

25 Dàn Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , jiù shì yǒng shì suǒ lǔlǜe de , yĕ kĕyǐ duó huí , qiángbào rén suǒ qiāng de , yĕ kĕyǐ jiĕ jiù , yǔ nǐ xiāng zhēng de wǒ bì yǔ tā xiāng zhēng , wǒ yào zhĕngjiù nǐde érnǚ .

26 Bìngqiĕ wǒ bì shǐ nà qīyē nǐde chī zìjǐ de ròu , yĕ yào yǐ zìjǐ de xuè hē zuì , hǎoxiàng hē tián jiǔ yíyàng . fán yǒu xuèqì de , bì dōu zhīdào wǒ Yēhéhuá shì nǐde jiù zhǔ , shì nǐde jiùshú zhǔ , shì Yǎgè de dà néng zhĕ .

Yǐsaìyàshū 49 Commentary

Chapter 49

The unbelief and rejection of the Jews. (1-6) Gracious promise to the Gentiles. (7-12) God's love to the church. (13-17) Its increase. (18-23) And deliverance. (24-26)

Verses 1-6 The great Author of redemption shows the authority for his work. The sword of his word slays the lusts of his people, and all at enmity with them. His sharp arrows wound the conscience; but all these wounds will be healed, when the sinner prays to him for mercy. But even the Redeemer, who spake as never man spake in his personal ministry, often seemed to labour in vain. And if Jacob will not be brought back to God, and Israel will not be gathered, still Christ will be glorious. This promise is in part fulfilled in the calling of the Gentiles. Men perish in darkness. But Christ enlightens men, and so makes them holy and happy.

Verses 7-12 The Father is the Lord, the Redeemer, and Holy One of Israel, as sending the Son to be the Redeemer. Man, whom he came to save, put contempt upon him. To this he submitted for our salvation. He is a pledge for all the blessings of the covenant; in him God was reconciling the world to himself. Pardoning mercy is a release from the curse of the law; renewing grace is a release from the dominion of sin: both are from Christ. He saith to those in darkness, Show yourselves. Not only see, but be seen, to the glory of God, and your own comforts. Though there are difficulties in the way to heaven, yet the grace of God will carry us over them, and make even the mountains a way. This denotes the free invitations and the encouraging promises of the gospel, and the outpouring of the Spirit.

Verses 13-17 Let there be universal joy, for God will have mercy upon the afflicted, because of his compassion; upon his afflicted, because of his covenant. We have no more reason to question his promise and grace, than we have to question his providence and justice. Be assured that God has a tender affection for his church and people; he would not have them to be discouraged. Some mothers do neglect their children; but God's compassions to his people, infinitely exceed those of the tenderest parents toward their children. His setting them as a mark on his hand, or a seal upon his arm, denotes his being ever mindful of them. As far as we have scriptural evidence that we belong to his ransomed flock, we may be sure that he will never forsake us. Let us then give diligence to make our calling and election sure, and rejoice in the hope and glory of God.

Verses 18-23 Zion is addressed as an afflicted widow, bereaved of her children. Numbers flock to her, and she is assured that they come to be a comfort to her. There are times when the church is desolate and few in number; yet its desolations shall not last for ever, and God will repair them. God can raise up friends for returning Israelites, even among Gentiles. They shall bring their children, and make them thy children. Let all deal tenderly and carefully with young converts and beginners in religion. Princes shall protect the church. It shall appear that God is the sovereign Lord of all. And those who in the exercise of faith, hope, and patience, wait on God for the fulfilment of his promises, shall never be confounded.

Verses 24-26 We were lawful captives to the justice of God, yet delivered by a price of unspeakable value. Here is an express promise: Even the prey of the terrible shall be delivered. We may here view Satan deprived of his prey, bound and cast into the pit; and all the powers that have combined to enslave, persecute, or corrupt the church, are destroyed; that all the earth may know that our Saviour and Redeemer is Jehovah, the mighty One of Jacob. And every effort we make to rescue our fellow-sinners from the bondage of Satan, is, in some degree, helping forward that great change.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 49

This is a prophecy concerning Christ, and redemption by him; and of the enlargement of the church in the latter day, by the conversion of Jews and Gentiles; which the isles, and people afar off, are exhorted to listen and hearken to, delivered out by the prophet, in the person of Christ; who gives an account of his call to his office, and the time of it; of what the Lord did for him, and said unto him, Isa 49:1-3, then follows a complaint of his labouring in vain, and a correction of it, Isa 49:4 and a further declaration of his call and appointment to office, and of each of the parts of the work assigned him, with encouragement to it, Isa 49:5,6. Christ is again represented under discouraging circumstances, as despised of men, abhorred by the nation, and a servant of rulers; who is encouraged by divine promises that kings should rise up before him, and worship him; that God would be faithful to his promise to him, and yet choose him, hear and help him, at a proper time; preserve him, and give him for a covenant to the people, to the establishment of the earth, and making it habitable, Isa 49:7,8 for the release of prisoners, and feeding, leading, and guiding them, and removing all difficulties out of the way, Isa 49:9-11 when the calling of the Gentiles is foretold, which would occasion great joy in the world, Isa 49:12,13 yet the church is introduced as complaining that she was forsaken of God, Isa 49:14 which is denied, and the contrary affirmed; being dear to the Lord as a sucking child to its mother, and more so; never forgotten by him, and always under his care, Isa 49:16, and, for her comfort, she is assured that those who had destroyed and made her waste should be removed; and that she should have converts that would be an ornament to her, and these numerous, insomuch that the place of their habitation would be too strait and narrow, and which would be matter of astonishment to her, Isa 49:17-21 and, besides those that would be converted in the land of Judea, there would be great numbers in the Gentile world converted by the power of God accompanying his Gospel, set up as a standard there, kings and queens countenancing and encouraging the interest of Christ, Isa 49:22,23 and yet still it is questioned whether the church should be delivered from her oppressors, Isa 49:24 to which it is answered, that she should be delivered, and her persecutors destroyed; by which it would be known that the Lord is the Redeemer and Saviour of his people, Isa 49:25,26.