Isaiah-Chap-49
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Remember the
following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER
SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם -
the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2.
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With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Isaiah 49 marks a pivotal shift in the “Book of Consolation”
(Chapters 40–66). Having addressed the fall of Babylon and the rise of Cyrus,
the prophet now focuses on the Servant of יְהוָה - the Lord an “Ideal Israel” who embodies the
nation’s mission to be a “light to the nations”. The chapter moves from the
calling of this Servant to a breath-taking promise of Zion’s restoration,
where the desolate land is repopulated with such abundance that the mother city
stands in awe of her own children.
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Let us now read this special chapter of Yeshayahu
- Isaiah Chapter 49: (JPS-1917
version of the Tanakh).
1 Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken, ye peoples, from far: יְהוָה - the LORD hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother hath He made mention of my name;
2. And He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of His hand hath He hid me; and He hath made me a polished shaft, in His quiver hath He concealed me;
3. And He said unto me: ‘Thou art My servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified’.
4. But I said: ‘I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity; yet surely my right is with יְהוָה - the LORD, and my recompense with my אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’.
5. And now saith יְהוָה - the LORD that formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, and that Israel be gathered unto Him, for I am honourable in the eyes of יְהוָה - the LORD, and my אֱלֹהִים is become my strength
6. Yea, He saith: ‘It is too light a thing that thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the offspring of Israel; I will also give thee for a light of the nations, that My salvation may be unto the end of the earth’.
7. Thus saith יְהוָה - the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One,
to him who is despised of men, to him who is abhorred of nations, to a servant
of rulers: kings shall see and arise, princes, and they shall prostrate
themselves; because of יְהוָה - the LORD that is faithful, even the Holy One
of Israel, who hath chosen thee.
8. Thus saith יְהוָה - the LORD: In an acceptable time have I answered thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
9. Saying to the prisoners: ‘Go forth’; to them that are in darkness: ‘Show yourselves’; they shall feed in the ways, and in all high hills shall be their pasture;
10. They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor sun smite them; for He that hath compassion on them will lead them, even by the springs of water will He guide them.
11. And I will make all My mountains a way, and My highways shall be raised on high.
12. Behold, these shall come from far; and, lo, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim.
13. Sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth, and break forth into singing, O mountains; for יְהוָה - the LORD hath comforted His people, and hath compassion upon His afflicted.
14. But Zion said: ‘יְהוָה - the LORD hath forsaken me, and יְהוָה - the LORD hath forgotten me’.
15. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, these may forget, yet will not I forget thee.
16. Behold, I have graven thee upon the Palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me.
17. Thy children make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth from thee.
18. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith יְהוָה - the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all as with an ornament, and gird thyself with them, like a bride.
19. For thy waste and thy desolate places and thy land that hath been destroyed, surely now shalt thou be too strait for the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
20. The children of thy bereavement shall yet say in thine ears: ‘The place is too strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell’.
21. Then shalt thou say in thy heart: ‘Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have been bereaved of my children, and am solitary, an exile, and wandering to and fro? And who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where were they?’
22. Thus saith אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim: Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and set up Mine ensign to the peoples, and they shall bring thy sons in their bosom, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
23. And kings shall be thy foster-fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face to the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am יְהוָה the LORD, for they shall not be ashamed that wait for Me.
24. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of the victorious be delivered?
25. But thus saith יְהוָה - the LORD: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; and I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
26. And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I יְהוָה - the LORD am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
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Now we will look and learn from the ‘verse by verse’ as it comes with Explanations.
Verse 1-3: The Hidden Weapon:
Explanation: The Servant addresses the “isles” and
distant nations, declaring he was named from the womb. אֱלֹהִים made his mouth a “sharp sword” and hid him
like a “polished shaft” in His quiver. In verse 3, אֱלֹהִים explicitly calls the
Servant “Israel”, signifying one who will finally manifest אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s
glory where the historical nation struggled.
Verse 4: The Apparent Failure:
Explanation: The Servant laments, “I have laboured in vain”, feeling his strength spent for nothing. Yet, he pivots to radical trust, leaving his judgment and reward with Elohim.
Verse. 5-6: A Light to the Nations:
Explanation: responds that restoring the tribes of Jacob is “too light a thing”. The Servant’s mission is expanded: he will be a light to the Gentiles, carrying אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s salvation to the "end of the earth".
Verse 7: From Despised to Exalted:
Explanation: Though the Servant is currently “despised of men” and a "servant of rulers," kings will eventually stand and princes prostrate themselves because of the faithful יְהוָה - LORD who chose him.
Verse 8-12: The Great Return:
Explanation: In an “acceptable time”, אֱלֹהִים answers him, making him a covenant of the people to restore the land. Prisoners are told to “Go forth”, and exiles stream back from the north, the west, and the land of Sinim (often identified as Aswan or distant lands).
Verse 13: Cosmic Joy:
Explanation: The heavens, earth, and mountains are called to break forth into singing because יְהוָה - the LORD has comforted His people.
Verse 14-16: The Mother’s Love:
Explanation: Zion complains, “יְהוָה - the LORD hath forsaken me”. אֱלֹהִים answers with one of the Bible's most tender metaphors: a mother might forget her nursing child, but אֱלֹהִים will never forget Zion. Her walls are "continually before" Him, and her name is graven upon the palms of His hands.
Verse 17-21: The Miracle of Growth:
Explanation: Zion's children “make haste” to return, while her destroyers depart. The land becomes so crowded that the children cry, “The place is too strait for me”. Bereaved Zion asks in wonder, “Who hath begotten me these?”, realising her family has multiplied beyond her imagination.
Verse 22-23: Kings as Foster-Fathers:
Explanation: אֱלֹהִים signals to the nations to bring Israel’s sons and daughters back in their bosoms. Powerful kings and queens will serve as “foster-fathers” and “nursing mothers”, bowing down in reverence to the restored people.
Verse 24-26: The Mighty Redeemer:
Explanation: To the skeptic who asks if prey can be taken from a “mighty man”, אֱלֹהִים declares He will contend with Zion’s adversaries. The oppressors will be consumed by their own violence, and "all flesh shall know" that יְהוָה - the LORD is the Saviour and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
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My Closing Message:
This chapter serves as a profound reminder that what looks
like “labour in vain” is often a “hidden arrow” in אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s quiver, waiting
for the “acceptable time” to find its mark. Even when we feel
forgotten, we are etched into the very palms of the Divine. The message is
clear: Trust the timing of the Redeemer; for the restoration He
brings will always exceed our capacity to count the blessings.
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This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said the following via several of our prophets...
“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you,
saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
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May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts. be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s (Prayers) and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s (blessings) before food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem -
Peace be with you!
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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