Verse 1
As chapter 1 began with a command (Isaiah 1:2), so does this second major part of Isaiah’s prophecy. In both places the Word of God is prominent, and in both places Israel is God’s people (Isaiah 1:3).
The God of Israel commanded His mouthpieces, especially Isaiah, to comfort His covenant people. Forms of the Hebrew word translated "comfort" appear 13 times in chapters 40-66. One writer believed the comforters were the Jewish exiles in Mesopotamia who called out to the city of Jerusalem (v. 2): announcing its revival, rebuilding, and rehabilitation, following the exile. He saw chapters 40-55 predicting the Jews’ return to Judah from Babylon following the exile, not an eschatological return from all over the earth. [Note: Watts, Isaiah 34-66, p. 80.]
This is the language of covenant (Isaiah 37:35; cf. Exodus 6:7; 2 Samuel 10:2; Jeremiah 16:7). We may imagine a heavenly court scene in which God issued this command (cf. 1 Kings 22:19). The double imperative "Comfort" suggests emotional intensity. "Keeps saying" is a better translation than "says" and stresses the importance of this message.
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