Chapter Overview
Summary
Isaiah 41 develops the COURT-OF-NATIONS scene where YHWH-challenges-the-pagan-deities. Verses 8–10 contain the famous 'do not fear, for I am with you' Israel-as-servant comfort. Verse 25's reference-to-'one from-the-north' anticipates Cyrus the-Persian, named-explicitly at-44:28 / 45:1.
Notable Variants
41:8 'Israel my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen' SERVANT-OF-LORD theme begins (developed-throughout chs. 41–53); 41:10 'fear not, for I am with you' classic-comfort; 41:25 'one from the north' Cyrus-prophecy preview.
Structural Notes
MT Isaiah 41 = LXX Isaiah 41. 29 verses. SERVANT-OF-LORD theme begins.
Keep silence before Me, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them come near, then let them speak; let us come together for judgment.
'Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment' tracks MT. COURT-OF-NATIONS scene. Cosmic-judicial-trial.
Who stirred up one from the east whom righteousness meets at every step? He gives up nations before him and makes him tread down kings; He makes them like dust before his sword, like driven stubble before his bow.
'Who stirred up one from the east whom victory meets at every step? He gives up nations before him, so that he tramples kings underfoot; he makes them like dust with his sword, like driven stubble with his bow' tracks MT. ONE-FROM-EAST — Cyrus the-Persian (later-named-explicitly 44:28, 45:1). The-most-specific-foreign-king prophecy in-the-OT.
He pursues them and passes on safely, by a path his feet have not traveled before.
'He pursues them and passes on safely, by paths his feet have not trod' tracks MT.
Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last — I am He.
'Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he' tracks MT. I-AM-HE (ani hu) — divine-self-designation. Revelation 1:8, 17, 22:13 ('I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last') Christologically extends.
The coastlands have seen and are afraid; the ends of the earth tremble. They draw near and come.
'The coastlands have seen and are afraid; the ends of the earth tremble; they have drawn near and come' tracks MT.
Each one helps his neighbor and says to his brother, 'Be strong!'
'Everyone helps his neighbor and says to his brother: Be strong!' tracks MT.
The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer encourages him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering, 'It is good.' And they fasten it with nails so that it will not totter.
'The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil, saying of the soldering: It is good; and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved' tracks MT. IDOL-MAKING parody.
But you, Israel, are my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, offspring of Abraham my friend —
'But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend' tracks MT. ABRAHAM-MY-FRIEND. James 2:23 ('Abraham … was called the friend of God') directly-extends. ISRAEL-AS-SERVANT begins-the-Servant-of-the-LORD theme that culminates-in-Isaiah 53.
you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, 'You are my servant; I have chosen you and not cast you off' —
'You whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you: You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off' tracks MT.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
'Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand' tracks MT. FEAR-NOT-FOR-I-AM-WITH-YOU. One of-the-Bible's-most-quoted comfort-verses. Combines-FEAR-NOT, I-AM-WITH-YOU, STRENGTHEN, HELP, UPHOLD — five-fold-divine-promise. Matthew 28:20 ('I am with you always') Christologically-extends.
Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish.
'Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish' tracks MT.
You shall seek them, but you will not find them — those who contend with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing at all.
'You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all' tracks MT.
For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, 'Fear not, I am the one who helps you.'
'For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you: Fear not, I am the one who helps you' tracks MT. HOLD-YOUR-RIGHT-HAND. // Job 8:20, Pss 18:35, 73:23. Revelation 1:17 ('he laid his right hand on me, saying: Fear not') Christologically-extends.
Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you, declares the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
'Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel' tracks MT. WORM-JACOB. // Ps 22:6 ('I am a worm and not a man') Christological-anticipation. REDEEMER-HOLY-ONE-OF-ISRAEL — go'el theology.
Behold, I will make you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and double-edged; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff.
'Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff' tracks MT.
You shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the storm shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the LORD; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.
'You shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the LORD; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory' tracks MT.
When the poor and needy seek water and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
'When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them' tracks MT. POOR-AND-NEEDY answered. The-Beatitude-anawim.
I will open rivers on the bare heights and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water.
'I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water' tracks MT. RIVERS-IN-DESERT — eschatological-water-provision.
I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane tree, and the pine together,
'I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together' tracks MT. SEVEN-TREES — eschatological-arboreta.
that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.
'That they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it' tracks MT.
Set forth your case, says the LORD; bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob.
'Set forth your case, says the LORD; bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob' tracks MT. PROOFS — court-of-nations setting.
Let them bring them forward and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them and know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come.
'Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come' tracks MT.
Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Do good or do harm, that we may be dismayed and terrified together.
'Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good, or do harm, that we may be dismayed and terrified' tracks MT. PROPHECY-AS-DEITY-TEST. Only-the-true-God can-predict-the-future.
Behold, you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing; an abomination is he who chooses you.
'Behold, you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing; an abomination is he who chooses you' tracks MT.
I stirred up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun one who calls on my name. He shall trample rulers like mortar, as the potter treads clay.
'I stirred up one from the north, and he has come, from the rising of the sun, and he shall call upon my name; he shall trample on rulers as on mortar, as the potter treads clay' tracks MT. ONE-FROM-NORTH — Cyrus-the-Persian (Persia-rises in-the-east, but-attacks Babylon-from-the-north). Specific-historical-prophecy.
Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know, and beforehand, that we might say, 'He is right'? There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed it, none who heard your words.
'Who declared it from the beginning, that we might know, and beforehand, that we might say: He is right? There was none who declared it, none who proclaimed, none who heard your words' tracks MT.
I was the first to say to Zion, 'Behold, here they are!' and I give to Jerusalem a herald of good news.
'I was the first to say to Zion: Behold, here they are! and I give to Jerusalem a herald of good news' tracks MT. HERALD-OF-GOOD-NEWS — // 40:9. Gospel-vocabulary.
But when I look, there is no one; among these there is no counselor who, when I ask, gives an answer.
'But when I look, there is no one; among these there is no counselor who, when I ask, gives an answer' tracks MT.
Behold, they are all a delusion; their works are nothing; their metal images are empty wind.
'Behold, they are all a delusion; their works are nothing; their metal images are empty wind' tracks MT. PAGAN-IDOLS-AS-WIND closing the chapter.