Read Isaiah 51 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
51:1-3 {s} You who seek YHVH: Look to Abraham your father, for I will comfort Zion
51:4-6 {p} Torah will proceed from Me/ My salvation has gone forth/ My arm shall judge the peoples
51:7-8 {s} You who know My Torah: do not fear the reproach of men; My righteousness will be forever
51:9-11 {s} Put on strength, O arm of YHVH! The ransomed shall return to Zion with joy and gladness
51:12-16 {s} Don’t be afraid of man or the fury of the oppressor, for I am YHVH your God who comforts you
51:17-21 {p} Awake! Stand up, Jerusalem! You who have drunk the cup of His wrath
51:22-23 {p} I have taken the cup of My wrath out of your hand, and given it to those who have walked on you
The Strong themes:
50:4-51:6 {sx4+p} Messiah will hear and obey: My Law and My salvation shall go forth from Me
51:7-21 {sx3+p} You who know My Torah: fear not, for the ransomed shall return to Zion therefore awake and stand up
The Chiastic structures:
Something all three Chiastic structures for this chapter share, is the Common Theme of God comforting His people.
To comfort is Strong’s H5162; נהם nacham, “to give comfort, to have sorrow.” The ancient pictographs are:
nun נ, ן = seed (continue, heir, son)
chet ח = wall (outside, divide, half)
mem מ, ם = water (chaos, mighty, blood)
The Hebrew Root Word is telling the parable of continuing (nun) outside (chet), that is, to rest at pasture, as the shepherd took his flocks outside their enclosure for the season to find good pasture. The addition of the mem brings to mind:
YHVH is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. Psa 23:1-2
Thus the parable: To rest in green pastures (nun + chet) and still waters (mem).
The Septuagint translators used Strong’s G3870 parakaleō to translate nacham in Isaiah 51. It means, “to call alongside, exhort, comfort, encourage.” This is the root of Strong’s G3875, Parakeltos, “Comforter, Advocate.”
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper [Strong’s G3875, Comforter], that He may abide with you forever—” Joh 14:16
“But the Helper [Strong’s G3875, Comforter], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” Joh 14:26
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper [Strong’s G3875, Comforter] will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” Joh 16:7
Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove,
With all Thy quick’ning powers;
Come, shed abroad a Savior’s love,
And that shall kindle ours.
Isaac Watts, Come, Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove, 1707
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