Hear ye this "And hear ye this"] A MS. adds the conjunction, w[m�w vashimu; and so the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate.

I have not spoken in secret] The Alexandrine copy of the Septuagint adds here, oude en topw ghv skoteinw, "nor in a dark place of the earth, "as in chap. xlv. 19. That it stands rightly, or at least stood very early, in this place of the Version of the Septuagint, is highly probable, because it is acknowledged by the Arabic Version, and by the Coptic MS. St. Germain de Prez, Paris, translated likewise from the Septuagint. But whether it should be inserted, as of right belonging to the Hebrew text, may be doubted; for a transcriber of the Greek Version might easily add it by memory from the parallel place; and it is not necessary to the sense.

From the time that it was "Before the time when it began to exist"] An ancient MS. has �twyh heyotham, "they began to exist; " and so another had it at first. From the time that the expedition of Cyrus was planned, there was God managing the whole by the economy of his providence.

Verse 16. There am I "I had decreed it"] I take �� sham for a verb, not an adverb.

And now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me "And now the Lord JEHOVAH hath sent me, and his Spirit"] tiv estin o en tw hsaiw legwn, kai nun kuriov apesteile me kai to pneuma autou; en w, amfibolou ontov tou rhtou, poteron o pathr kai to �agion pneuma apesteilan tou ihsoun, h o pathr apesteile ton te criston kai to �agion pneuma� to deuteron estin alhqev. "Who is it that saith in Isaiah, And now the Lord hath sent me and his Spirit? in which, as the expression is ambiguous, is it the Father and the Holy Spirit who have sent Jesus; or the Father, who hath sent both Christ and the Holy Spirit. The latter is the true interpretation." -Origen cont. Cels. lib. i. I have kept to the order of the words of the original, on purpose that the ambiguity, which Origen remarks in the Version of the Septuagint, and which is the same in the Hebrew might still remain; and the sense whlch he gives to it, be offered to the reader's judgment, which is wholly excluded in our translation.

Is. 48:1-8 The Jews valued themselves on descent from Jacob, and use the name of Jehovah as their God. They prided themselves respectin Jerusalem and the temple, yet there was no holiness in their lives. I we are not sincere in religion, we do but take the name of the Lord in vain. By prophecy they were shown how God would deal with them, lon before it came to pass. God has said and done enough to prevent men' boasting of themselves, which makes the sin and ruin of the prou worse; sooner or later every mouth shall be stopped, and all becom silent before Him. We are all born children of disobedience. Wher original sin is, actual sin will follow. Does not the conscience of every man witness to the truth of Scripture? May the Lord prove us, an render us doers of the word.

Is. 48:9-15 We have nothing ourselves to plead with God, why he shoul have mercy upon us. It is for his praise, to the honour of his mercy to spare. His bringing men into trouble was to do them good. It was to refine them, but not as silver; not so thoroughly as men refine silver If God should take that course, they are all dross, and, as such, migh justly be put away. He takes them as refined in part only. Many have been brought home to God as chosen vessels, and a good work of grac begun in them, in the furnace of affliction. It is comfort to God' people, that God will secure his own honour, therefore work deliveranc for them. And if God delivers his people, he cannot be at a loss for instruments to be employed. God has formed a plan, in which, for his own sake, and the glory of his grace, he saves all that come to Him.

Is. 48:16-22 The Holy Spirit qualifies for service; and those may spea boldly, whom God and his Spirit send. This is to be applied to Christ He was sent, and he had the Spirit without measure. Whom God redeems he teaches; he teaches to profit by affliction, and then makes the partakers of his holiness. Also, by his grace he leads them in the way of duty; and by his providence he leads in the way of deliverance. God did not afflict them willingly. If their sins had not turned them away their peace should have been always flowing and abundant. Spiritual enjoyments are ever joined with holiness of life and regard to God' will. It will make the misery of the disobedient the more painful, to think how happy they might have been. And here is assurance given of salvation out of captivity. Those whom God designs to bring home to himself, he will take care of, that they want not for their journey This is applicable to the grace laid up for us in Jesus Christ, from whom all good flows to us, as the water to Israel out of the rock, for that Rock was Christ. The spiritual blessings of redemption, and the rescue of the church from antichristian tyranny, are here pointed to But whatever changes take place, the Lord warned impenitent sinner that no good would come to them; that inward anguish and outwar trouble, which spring from guilt and from the Divine wrath, must be their portion for ever __________________________________________________________________

Original Hebrew