1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible

Presents commentary in a tabular format for ease of reading.Click to learn more.





Isaiah 42:1 Behold, *my servant, I will uphold him: my elect, my soul delighteth in him: I have given my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Matthew 12:18.
My servant. Christ, who, according to his humanity, is the servant of God, (Challoner) and Redeemer of others; none else being able to satisfy for themselves. (Worthington) (Philippians 2:7.) (Calmet) --- This passage clearly refers to the Messias, (Chaldean; Kimchi) who was prefigured by Cyrus, ver. 6. (Calmet) (Hugo.) --- It is quoted by St. Matthew 12:18. who has some variations both from the Hebrew and the Septuagint, (Calmet) particularly the first part of ver. 4., which the Septuagint renders, "He shall shine, and shall not be broken."
Isaiah 42:2 He shall not cry, nor have respect to person, neither shall his voice be heard abroad.

Isaiah 42:3 The bruised reed he shall not break, and smoking flax he shall not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

Isaiah 42:4 He shall not be sad, nor troublesome, till he set judgment in the earth: and the islands shall wait for his law.

Islands. Septuagint and St. Matthew, "the Gentiles shall hope in his name." (Haydock)
Isaiah 42:5 Thus saith the Lord God, that created the heavens, and stretched them out; that established the earth, and the things that spring out of it; that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that tread thereon.

Isaiah 42:6 I, the Lord, have called thee in justice, and taken thee by the hand, and preserved thee. *And I have given thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles:

Isaias 49:6.
Gentiles. This was literally verified in Christ. Cyrus is also styled the just, (chap. 41:26.) and gave liberty to many nations.
Isaiah 42:7 That thou mightest open the eyes of the blind, and bring forth the prisoner out of prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house.

House. The Jews out of captivity, prefigured the redemption of mankind. These miracles proved that Jesus was the Messias, Luke 7:22.
Isaiah 42:8 *I, the Lord, this is my name: I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven things.

Isaias 48:11.
Things. They shall not partake of my divinity. Our Saviour was truly God, Philippians 2:6.
Isaiah 42:9 The things that were first, behold they are come: and new things do I declare: before they spring forth, I will make you hear them.

Them. The completion of former predictions enforces the belief of those which are yet to come. (Calmet)
Isaiah 42:10 Sing ye to the Lord a new song, his praise is from the ends of the earth: you that go down to the sea, and all that are therein: ye islands, and ye inhabitants of them.

All. Literally, "its fullness," (Haydock) sailors, (Calmet) and fishes. (Haydock) --- He concludes with a canticle.
Isaiah 42:11 Let the desert and the cities thereof be exalted: Cedar shall dwell in houses: ye inhabitants of Petra, give praise, they shall cry from the top of the mountains.

Cedar, or the Jews in exile in the desert Arabia, Psalm 119:5. (Calmet) --- The people dwell in tents. (Roger. 2:5.) --- Petra. A city that gives name to Arabia Petraea. (Challoner)
Isaiah 42:12 They shall give glory to the Lord, and shall declare his praise in the islands.

Isaiah 42:13 The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man; as a man of war shall he stir up zeal: he shall shout and cry: he shall prevail against his enemies.

Enemies. The Chaldeans, (Calmet) by the hand of Cyrus.
Isaiah 42:14 I have always held my peace, I have I kept silence, I have been patient, I will speak now as a woman in labour. I will destroy, and swallow up at once.

Isaiah 42:15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills, and will make all their grass to wither: and I will turn rivers into islands, and will dry up the standing pools.

Pools. Cyrus deluged the country about Babylon, Isaias 13.; Isaias 21:1. (Haydock) --- The proud and covetous, who expected Christ to give them kingdoms, were deceived. He came to teach humility, and to grant eternal rewards. (Worthington)
Isaiah 42:16 And I will lead the blind into the way which they know not: and in the paths which they were ignorant of I will make them walk: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight: these things have I done to them, and have not forsaken them.

Blind captives, or converts to Christianity.
Isaiah 42:17 They are turned back: let them be greatly confounded, that trust in a graven thing, that say to a molten thing: You are our gods.

Isaiah 42:18 Hear, ye deaf, and, ye blind behold that you may see.

Deaf Jews, who would not listen to the prophets, ver. 19. (Calmet)
Isaiah 42:19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, but he to whom I have sent my messengers? Who is blind, but he that is sold? or who is blind but the servant of the Lord?

Sold. Hebrew Cimshullam, (Haydock) the perfect, or favoured. The Turks call "believers" Musselmans. (Calmet)
Isaiah 42:20 Thou that seest many things, wilt thou not observe them? thou that hast ears open, wilt thou not hear?

Isaiah 42:21 And the Lord was willing to sanctify him, and to magnify the law, and exalt it.

Isaiah 42:22 But this is a people that is robbed and wasted: they are all the snare of young men, and they are hid in the houses of prisons: they are made a prey, and there is none to deliver them: a spoil, and there is none that saith: Restore.

Men, whom they corrupt by their bad example. (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "their young men are in chains," during the last wars, and the captivity of Juda. (Calmet)
Isaiah 42:23 Who is there among you that will give ear to this, that will attend and hearken for times to come?

Isaiah 42:24 Who hath given Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to robbers? hath not the Lord himself, against whom we have sinned? And they would not walk in his ways, and they have not hearkened to his law.

We. Septuagint, "they have sinned," which seems preferable. (Haydock)
Isaiah 42:25 And he hath poured out upon him the indignation of his fury, and a strong battle, and hath burnt him round about, and he knew not: and set him on fire, and he understood not.