Isaiah 51:16 - Exposition

And I have put my words in thy mouth . Some commentators detach this verse altogether from the preceding passage, and regard it as a fragment intruded here out of its proper place by some unaccountable accident. From the close resemblance of the expressions used to those in Isaiah 49:2 , they consider that the person addressed must be "the Servant of Jehovah," and hence conclude that the verse "originally stood in some other context" (Cheyne). It is, however, quite possible to regard Israel as still addressed; since Israel too was the recipient of God's words (see Isaiah 59:21 ), and was protected by God's hand from destruction, and kept in existence until the happy time should come when God would create a new heaven and a new earth ( Isaiah 65:17 ) for Israel's dwelling-place , and say unto Zion — i.e. to the "new Jerusalem" Revelation 21:2 )— Thou art my people . This crowning promise well terminates the comforting address wherewith Jehovah at this time saw fit to cheer and encourage his captive people.