Isaiah 49:24

24 numquid tolletur a forte praeda aut quod captum fuerit a robusto salvum esse poterit

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Isaiah 49:24 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 49:24

Shall the prey be taken from the mighty
This is an objection to the accomplishment of what is predicted and promised above, taken from the power of the enemy, and his right to detain the people; and are either the words of the nations among whom the Jews were, according to Kimchi, boasting of, and presuming upon, and opposing to what is said, both their might and right, to keep the people in their own hands, bidding as it were defiance to any to attempt to take them from them; or the words of the prophet, in the name of the people, as Aben Ezra, objecting to their deliverance, doubting the effecting of it, or admiring at it: it may be applied to the taking of the Lord's people out of the hands of Satan, who may be said to be "mighty" or "strong", as he appears to be from his nature, a spirit; from his names, the strong man armed, a roaring lion, the great red dragon, leviathan, the piercing serpent; and from his power and dominion over the evil angels, and over men, both their bodies and souls; and to whom the Lord's own people are a "prey", while they are in a state of nature, as all mankind, and every unconverted man, be; a difficult thing it is to take any out of his hands, and a wonder of grace it is when it is done: or the lawful captive delivered?
justly and lawfully taken captive in war, as the Jews were by the Babylonians: or, "the captivity of the righteous be delivered" F20; that is, either the righteous who were taken captives; or those that took them, who were so in their opinion, at least with respect to the taking of them, doing, as they judged, what was lawful and just. The people of God are in their state of nature led by Satan at his will, and are lawful captives in the judgment of him, and his principalities; and are in reality taken in war by him, and not only led captive by him at his will, but with their own will, and are justly given up unto him. Perhaps all this may be better referred to the people of God being a prey to the Romish antichrist, and detained as a lawful captive by him, and to the difficult and wonderful deliverance of them from him in the latter day; see ( Revelation 13:4 Revelation 13:7 Revelation 13:10 ) ( 18:4 ) . The Targum interprets this and the following verse of the captives of Esau and Ishmael, by whom seem to be meant the Pope and Turk.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 (jlmy qydu ybv Maw) "et an captivitas justi evadet", Montanus; "vel liberabitur", Munster; "captiva turba justi", Vitringa. And by the righteous Gussetius (Ebr. Comment. p. 709.) understands God the Father, who is righteous as a judge, exercising vindictive justice; and from him another person delivers us, namely, God the Son, the Messiah. A sense truly evangelical.

Isaiah 49:24 In-Context

22 haec dicit Dominus Deus ecce levo ad gentes manum meam et ad populos exaltabo signum meum et adferent filios tuos in ulnis et filias tuas super umeros portabunt
23 et erunt reges nutricii tui et reginae nutrices tuae vultu in terra dimisso adorabunt te et pulverem pedum tuorum lingent et scies quia ego Dominus super quo non confundentur qui expectant eum
24 numquid tolletur a forte praeda aut quod captum fuerit a robusto salvum esse poterit
25 quia haec dicit Dominus equidem et captivitas a forte tolletur et quod ablatum fuerit a robusto salvabitur eos vero qui iudicaverunt te ego iudicabo et filios tuos ego salvabo
26 et cibabo hostes tuos carnibus suis et quasi musto sanguine suo inebriabuntur et sciet omnis caro quia ego Dominus salvans te et redemptor tuus Fortis Iacob
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.