Parallel Verses English Standard Version But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; King James Bible But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. American Standard Version But thou, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend, Douay-Rheims Bible But thou Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend: English Revised Version But thou, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend; Webster's Bible Translation But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Isaiah 41:8 Parallel Commentary Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old TestamentThe parties invited are now to be thought of as present, and Jehovah commences in Isaiah 41:2 : "Who hath raised up the man from the rising of the sun, whom justice meets at his foot, He giveth up nations before him, and kings He subdues, giveth men like the dust to his sword, and like driven stubble to his bow?" The sentence governed by "who" (mı̄) ends at leraglō (at his foot); at the same time, all that follows is spoken with the echo of the interrogative accent. The person raised up is Cyrus, who is afterwards mentioned by name. The coming one (if, that is to say, we adhere to the belief in Isaiah's authorship of these addresses) first approaches gradually within the horizon of the prophet's ideal present; and it is only little by little that the prophet becomes more intimately acquainted with a phenomenon which belongs to so distant a future, and has been brought so close to his own eyes. Jehovah has raised up the new great hero "from the east" (mimmizrâch), and, according to Isaiah 41:25, "from the north" also. Both of these were fulfilled; for Cyrus was a Persian belonging to the clan of Achaemenes (Hakhâmanis), which stood at the head of the tribe, or of the Pasargadae. He was the son of Cambyses; and even if the Median princess Mandane were not his mother, yet, according to nearly all the ancient accounts, he was connected with the royal house of Media; at any rate, after Astyages was dethroned, he became head and chief of the Medes as well as of the Persians (hence the name of "Mule" which was give to him by the oracle, and that given by Jerome, "agitator bigae"). Now Media was to the north of Babylonia, and Persia to the east; so that his victorious march, in which, even before the conquest of Babylon, he subjugated all the lands from the heights of Hinduku to the shores of the Aegean Sea, had for its starting-point both the east and north. (Note: See Pahl'es Geschichte des Oriental. Alterthums. (1864), p. 170ff.) The clause לרגלו יקראהוּ צדק is an attributive clause, and as such a virtual object: "him whom (supply עת־אשׁר) justice comes to meet (קרא) equals קרה, Ges. 75, vi.) on his track" (cf., Genesis 30:30; Job 18:11; Habakkuk 3:5). The idea of tsedeq is determined by what follows: Jehovah gives up nations before him, and causes kings to be trodden down (causative of râdâh). Accordingly, tsedeq is either to be understood here in an attributive sense, as denoting the justice exercised by a person (viz., the justice executed successfully by Cyrus, as the instrument of Jehovah, by the force of arms); or objectively of the justice awarded to a person (to which the idea of "meeting" is more appropriate), viz., the favourable result, the victory which procures justice for the just cause of the combatant. Rosenmller, Knobel, and others, are wrong in maintaining that tsedeq (tsedâqâh) in chapters 40-66 signifies primarily justice, and the prosperity and salvation as its reward. The word means straightness, justice, righteousness, and nothing more (from tsâdaq, to be hard, firm, extended, straight, e.g., rumh-un-tsadq, a hard, firm, and straight lance); but it has a double aspect, because justice consists, according to circumstances, of either wrath of favour, and therefore has sometimes the idea of the strict execution of justice, as in this instance, sometimes of a manifestation of justice in fidelity to promises, as in Isaiah 41:10. יתּן is repeated here in Isaiah 41:2 (just like וילמדהו in Isaiah 40:14) with the same subject, but in a different sense. To make sword and bow the subject, in the sense of "his sword gives (sc., 'the foe')," is a doubtful thing in itself; and as cherebh and qesheth are feminines, it is by no means advisable. Moreover, in other instances, the comparative כ leaves it to the reader to carry out the figure indicated according to his own fancy. And this is the case here: He (Jehovah) makes his sword as if there were dust, his bow as if there were hunted stubble (Bttcher), i.e., pounding the enemy like dust, and hunting it like flying stubble. Our text has כּעפר, but in certain codices we find כּעפר with tzere; and this reading, which is contrary to rule, has in its favour the express testimony of Moses the punctuator. (Note: In his הנקוד דרכי (rules of pointing), with which the Masora finalis is surrounded.) Treasury of Scripture Knowledge thou Isaiah 44:1,2,21 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen... Isaiah 49:3 And said to me, You are my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Psalm 105:6,42-45 O you seed of Abraham his servant, you children of Jacob his chosen... Psalm 135:4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob to himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure. the seed Romans 4:12,13 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only... my friend John 15:14,15 You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you... Cross References James 2:23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"--and he was called a friend of God. 2 Chronicles 20:7 Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? Psalm 136:22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. Isaiah 14:1 For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob. Isaiah 29:22 Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: "Jacob shall no more be ashamed, no more shall his face grow pale. Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. Isaiah 42:19 Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the LORD? Jump to Previous Abraham Chosen Descendant Descendants Friend Israel Jacob Lover Offspring Seed ServantJump to Next Abraham Chosen Descendant Descendants Friend Israel Jacob Lover Offspring Seed ServantLinks Isaiah 41:8 NIVIsaiah 41:8 NLT Isaiah 41:8 ESV Isaiah 41:8 NASB Isaiah 41:8 KJV Isaiah 41:8 Bible Apps Isaiah 41:8 Biblia Paralela Isaiah 41:8 Chinese Bible Isaiah 41:8 French Bible Isaiah 41:8 German Bible Bible Hub ESV Text Edition: 2016. 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