Isaiah 41:9-19

9 you whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the eretz, and called from the corners of it, and said to you, You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you away;

10 Don't you be afraid, for I am with you; don't be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

11 Behold, all those who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded: those who strive with you shall be as nothing, and shall perish.

12 You shall seek them, and shall not find them, even those who contend with you: those who war against you shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nothing.

13 For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, Don't be afraid; I will help you.

14 Don't be afraid, you worm Ya`akov, and you men of Yisra'el; I will help you, says the LORD, and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Yisra'el.

15 Behold, I have made you [to be] a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shall make the hills as chaff.

16 You shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them; and you shall rejoice in the LORD, you shall glory in the Holy One of Yisra'el.

17 The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst; I, the LORD, will answer them, I, the God of Yisra'el, will not forsake them.

18 I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.

19 I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the shittim, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, the pine, and the box tree together:

Isaiah 41:9-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 41

This chapter contains a summons to the enemies of Christ to come and try the cause between God and them before him; words of comfort to true believers, promising them help, protection, and provision; full conviction of idolaters, and their practices; and is closed with a promise of some great person, and what he will do unto them, and for the people of God. The summons is in Isa 41:1, expressed according to the forms used in courts of judicature. The issue of the controversy is put upon this foot, the raising up a certain person from the east, who it was that did it, which appearing to be the work of the Lord, proves the point contended about, Isa 41:2-4, the obstinate persistence of idolaters in their idolatry, notwithstanding this is observed, Isa 41:5-7, the people of God, under the names of Jacob and Israel, the objects of God's choice and affection, Isa 41:8,9 are encouraged against the fear of men, with promises of help and strength from the Lord, Isa 41:10,13,14 of confusion to their enemies, and victory over them, Isa 41:11,12,15,16, and of spiritual provisions, and great prosperity in their wilderness state, in which they should manifestly see the hand of the Lord, Isa 41:17-20 when the idolatrous nations are challenged to produce their strong reasons for their idolatry, and are put upon proving that their idols can foretell things to come, or do good or evil to men, or own they are nothing but an abomination, Isa 41:21-24,26 and then one is spoken of that should come as a mighty warrior, and tread down the Pagan princes, and a set of Gospel ministers should be sent, bringing good tidings to Zion, to the silencing of idolaters, and the cessation of idolatrous worship, Isa 41:25,27,28.