Verses 20-21
5. SUMMONS TO ISRAEL TO FLEE OUT OF BABYLON
20 Go ye forth of Babylon.
Flee ye from the Chaldeans, with voice of singingDeclare ye, tell this,Utter it even to the end of the earth;
Say ye, The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob.
21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts:
He caused waters to flow out of the rock for them:He clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Both these verses bear entirely the character of the representation in Isaiah 48:1-15; that is to say, the chief particulars of chaps. 40–47 are recapitulated. They especially correspond to chaps. 46, 47, which are principally occupied with Babylon. That Babylon must be destroyed, and that redeemed Israel must go free from the destroyed prison, has been variously declared in preceding chapters. It is to be especially noted that wherever the deliverance of Israel and Jehovah as their Redeemer are spoken of, it is always primarily the deliverance from Babylon that is meant (Isaiah 41:14; Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 43:14; Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 44:24 sqq.; Isaiah 45:13; Isaiah 45:17; Isaiah 47:4). We read in Isaiah 42:22 that Israel is held captive as in a prison. Babylon’s fall is specially announced Isaiah 43:14; Isaiah 46:1-2; Isaiah 47:1 sqq. It is said in Isaiah 42:10-12; Isaiah 44:23; Isaiah 45:6; Isaiah 45:22-24 that the praise of Jehovah’s acts of deliverance must be sounded to the end of the earth, and be to all nations a guaranty of their own salvation. That on the way the Israelites shall have water in great abundance is promised Isaiah 41:17-19; Isaiah 43:19 sq.; Isaiah 44:3 sq. That the return from Babylon shall not be inferior to the return out of Egypt in miraculous displays of the saving hand of God is stated Isaiah 42:16; Isaiah 43:16; Isaiah 44:27. Thus verses 20, 21 also bear the character of recapitulation. And hence I believe that Isaiah 48:16 and the verses 17–19 were originally supplements, but through misunderstanding were inserted out of place. As regards particulars, it must be noticed that what is to be proclaimed to the end of the earth begins with The Lord hath redeemed and ends with waters gushed out. The redemption of Israel and its joyful return home must be proclaimed to all nations as a pledge of their own salvation (comp. especially Isaiah 45:22 sqq.) And particularly this point must be emphasized, to them, that the Lord had now a second time given such a miraculous deliverance to the people Israel. For in that lies even a confirmation of His methodical willing and ability to do. And the waters gushed out occurs again Psalms 78:20; Psalms 105:41. Moreover see List. [“Unless we are prepared to assume an irrational confusion of language, setting all interpretation at defiance, our only alternative is to conclude, on the one hand, that Isaiah meant to foretell a miraculous supply of water during the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, or that the whole description is a figurative one, meaning simply that the wonders of the Exodus should be renewed. Against the former is the silence of history; against the latter nothing but the foregone conclusion that this and other like passages must relate exclusively to Babylon and the return from exile.”—J. A. Alexander.]
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