God is not to be compared.

to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering. 17 All nations before him are as "nothing; and "they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

right-
eousness.

9 ver. 25. b ch. 46.
cl. 46. 5. 11.

13 To whom then will ye liken God or what likeness will ye compare unto him? 19 The workinan melteth a Ac. 17.29. See Ge. graven image, and the goldsmithch. 41.6, 14.14,&c. spreadeth it over with gold, and 7.&44.12. ver. 25. casteth silver chains. &c. Je. ch. 45. 1. 20 He that his so impoverished 10. 3, &c. ↑ Heb. that he hath no oblation chooseth Heb. is in peace. a tree that will not rot; he seek- pour of d ver. 26. eth unto him a cunning work-blation. ch. 14. 7. man to prepare a graven image "ch. 41. 7. & 46. 10. that shall not be moved. Je. 10. 4. ech. 43. 21 Have ye not known? have tPs. 19.1. 10.44.6. ye not heard? hath it not been Ac.14.17. & 48. 12. told you from the beginning? Ro. 1. 19. Re. 1. 17. have ye not understood from the & 22. 13. foundations of the earth? fel.40.19. & 44. 12. Heb. Be

22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that "stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges

20.

Or,
Him that
sitteth,
&c.

strong.

8 ch. 40.

19.

Or,

"Job 9.8.
Ps. 104.2.
cli. 42. 5. founder.
& 44. 21.
& 51. 13. Or, the
Je. 10.12. smiting.

12.

of the earth as vanity.
24 Yea, they shall not be plant-Job
ed: yea, they shall not be sown:
21. Ps.
yea, their stock shall not take
107. 40.
root in the earth: and he shall
also blow upon them, and they
shall wither, and the whirlwind
shall take them away as stub-
ble.

|| Or,
saying
of the
soder, It
is good.
h ch. 40.

20.

iDe.7.6&
10. 15. &
14. 2. Ps.
135. 4. ch.
43.1.&44.

25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

y ver. 18.

De. 4. 15,

&c.

25 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their

God exhorteth the church to

CHAPTER XLI.
God expostulateth with his people,
about his mercies to the church, 1,
10 about his promises, 21 and about
the vanity of idols.

ΚΕ
EEP silence before me, O
islands; and let the people
renew their strength: let them
coine near; then let them speak:
let us come near together to judg-
ment.

C

2 Who raised up the righteous man bfrom the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations be fore him, and made him rule over kings he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.

3 He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet. 4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

5 The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.

6 They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good cour

age.

7So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that sinootheth with the hammer||hum that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering; and he fastened it with nails, bthat it should not be moved.

8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham iny kfriend. 9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, k2Ch.20. and said unto thee, Thou art my 7.Ja.2.23. servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. 10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

14. ch. 43.
5.

m De.31.

6, 8.

host by number: "he calleth Ps. 147. ver. 13.
them all by names, by the great-4.
ness of his might, for that he is
strong in power; not one faileth.
27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob,
and speakest, O Israel, My way
is hid from the LORD, and my
judgmentis passed over from my
God?

28 THast thou not known? hast
thou not heard, that the everlast-
ing God, the LORD, the Creator
of the ends of the earth, fainteth
not, neither is weary? "there is a Ps. 147.
no searching of his understand- 5. Ro. 11.
ing.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

3) Even the youths shall faint and be weary,and the young men shall utterly fall:

11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be Dashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; aud they that strivewith thee shall perish. 12 Thou shalt seek them, aud shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. 13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, "Fear not; I will help thee. 14 Fear not, thou worin Jacob, and yemen of Israel; I will help deemer, the Holy One of Israel. thee, saith the LORD, and thy Re15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having fteeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them

Christ's mission to the Gentiles their works are nothing: their cir. 712. cir. 712. molten images are wind and conJe. 51.2. fusion.

ch.43.10. & 49. 3,6. & 52. 13. & 53. 11. Mat. 12. 18, 19, 20.

Israel reproved for unbelief.
like a travailing woman; 1 will
destroy and fdevour at once.
15 I will make waste mountains
and hills, and dry up all their
herbs; and I will make the riv-
ers islands, and I will dry up the
pools.

16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

18AIAH.
B. C. B. C.
cir. 712. cir. 712.

Heb.
swallow,
or, suph Pr.11.8.
up.
& 21. 18.

Heb.

into
straight-

ness.

I Or, person. ich.41.10, 14.&44.2. 17 They shall be turned Je. 30.10, back, they shall be greatly asha-8.97.7. 11. & 46. ch. 1. 29. 27, 28. med, that trust in graven images, & 44. 11. that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.

18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. 19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD'S servant?

20 Seeing many things, "but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.

& 45. 16.

k ch. 63. tch. 43.8. 19.Ja.2.7. Ez. 12. 2. IPs.100.3. SeeJoin ch. 29. 23.

9. 39, 41.

John 3.3,
5. 2Co. 5.

"Ro.2.21.

17. Ep. 2.

10.

21 The LORD is well pleased for
his righteousness' sake; he will
magnify the law, and make it Or, him. Ez. 12. 2.
honourable.

Or, in

men of
them.

Heb.

treading.
Heb for
the after
time?

22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they snaring are hid in prison-houses; they all the are for a prey, and none deliver-young eth, for få spoil, and none saith, Restore. 23 Wno among you will give ear to this who will hearken, and hear for the time to come? 24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil aud Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. 25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round 9. about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

CHAPTER XLIII. The Lord comforteth the church with his promises, 1. 8 He appealeth to the people for witness of his omnipotency. 14He foretelleth them the destruction of Babylon, 18 and his wonderfil de liverance of his people. 22 He reproveth the people as inexcusable.

BU now thus saith the LORD

2 Ki.25.

Ho. 7.9.

a ver. 7.
b ver. 21.

God conforteth the church. shalt not he burned; neithershall the flame kindle upon thee.

3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: h gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

4Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

5 Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west:

6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

7 Even every one that is kcalled by my name: for I have created him for my glory, "I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

m ver. 1.9 Let all the nations be gathernch. 6. 9. ed together,and let the people be & 42. 19. assembled: "who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth.

ch. 41. 21, 22, 26.

Pch. 44.8
9 ch.42.1.
& 35. 4.

ch. 41.4.
& 44. 6.

Or, nothing

formed

of God.
ch.45.21.
Ho. 13. 4.
De. 32.
16. Ps.81.

9.

u ch.44.8.

ver. 10.

P8.90.2.

Jol

58.

tHeb.
turn it
back?

YJob9.12.

ch. 14. 27.

Heb. bars.

10 PYe are my witnesses, saith the LORD, "and myservant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: "before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

beside me there is no saviour.
11 I, even 1, "am the LORD; and
12 I have declared, and have
saved, and I have shewed, when
there was no 'strange god among
you: "therefore ye are my wit-
nesses, saith the LORD, that I am
God.

13 Yea, before the day was, 1 am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall flet it?

14 T Thus saith the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their fnobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.

15 I am the LORD, your Holy Que, the Creator of Israel, your King.

16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; 17 Which bbringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and De.31.6, Jos. 3. the power; they shall lie down 13, 16. together, they shall not rise: they Da 3. bEx.14.4, are extinct, they are quenched -9, 25. as tow.

God again comforteth his church. CHAPTER XLIV.

18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

B. C.

cir. 712.

B. C. cir. 712.

14.

c Je. 16. 19 Behold, I will do a d new 14.&23.7. thing; now it shall spring forth; de Co. 5. ver. 24. shall ye not know it? I will 17.Re.21. Ch. 43. 1. even make a way in the wilder-5. ness, and rivers in the desert. "Ex.17.6. fch. 41. 4. 20 The beast of the field shall Nu.20.11. & 48. 12. honour me, the dragons and the De. 8. 15. Re. 1. 8, towls: because I give waters Ps.78, 16. 17. & 22. in the wilderness, and rivers in & 41. 18. ch. 35. 6. 13. the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. 21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

| Or, ostriches Heb. daughters of the owl. fch.48.21. O Is

22 But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hhast been weary of me,

rael.

5 Ps. 102.
18. ver.1,

ch.41.4,

22. & 45.

21.

h ch. 41.

22.

ich.43.10,

12.

k De. 4.

35, 39. &

32. 39. 1
Sa. 2. 2.
2 Sa. 22.
32.ch. 45.

† Heb.
rock.

23 Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt-7. Lu. 1. 74,75.Ep. offerings; neither hast thou hon1. 5, 6. oured me with thy sacrifices. I h Mal. 1. 5. have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. 24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

13.
iAm.5.25.
† Heb.
lambs,
or, kids.
↑ Heb.
made me desira-
t Heb.
ble.

De. 32. 4.
leh.41.24,

drunk,
or,ubun-
dantly

29.

mPs. 115.
4, &c.
"Je. 10. 5.
Hab.2.18.
ops.97. 7.
ch. 1. 29.

25 I, even 1, am he that Iblot- moistteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, "and will not remember thy sins.

ened.

keh.1. 14.

Mal.2. 17.

26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. 27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have trans-m Ez. 36.

ch.44 22.

& 48. 9.

& 42. 17.

Je. 50. 20.

& 45. 16.

Ac. 3. 19.

22, &c.

P ch. 40.
19. & 41.
6.Je.10.3,

"ch.1. 18.
Je. 31. 34.

&c.

gressed against me.

28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, Pand have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches. CHAPTER XLIV.

God comforteth the church with his promises. 7 The vanity of idols, 9 and folly of idol inakers. 21 He exhorteth to praise God for his redemption and omnipotency.

Or, with an

axe.

0 ch.47.6.
La. 2.2,6, Or,

7.

Or,

YET now hear, O Jacob, my holy servant; and Israel, whom I princes. have chosen:

PPs.79.4.

Je. 24. 9.

Da. 9. 11: Zec.8. 13. cir. 712.

2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, band formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob my servant; and thou, Jesuruz, a ver. 21. whom I have chosen.

3 For I will d pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: 4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water-courses.

6 One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with

taketh
courage.

The folly of the makers of idols. his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

6 Thus saith the LORD the
King of Israel, and his Re-
deemer the LORD of hosts; flam
the first, and I am the last; and
besides me there is no God.
7 And who, as 1, shall call,
and shall declare it, and set it in
order for me, since I appointed
things that are coming, and shall
the ancient people? and the

come, let them shew unto them.
8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid:
hhave not I told thee from that
time, and have declared it? iye
are even my witnesses. Is there
a God besides me? yea, there
is no tGod: I know not any.
9 T1They that make a graven
image are all of them vanity;
and their fdelectable things shall
not profit; and they are their own
witnesses; they see not, nor
know that they may be ashamed.
10 Who hath formed a god, or
molten a graven image "that is
profitable for nothing?

11 Behold, all his fellows shali be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.

12 PThe smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.

13 The carpenterstretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with the line; he fittethit with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.

15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. 16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: 17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me: Ac. 2. 18. ch. 45. for thou art my god.

b ch.43.1,