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Selected Verse: Isaiah 45:20 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Isa 45:20	Strong Concordance	Assemble [06908] yourselves and come [0935]; draw near [05066] together [03162], ye that are escaped [06412] of the nations [01471]: they have no knowledge [03045] that set up [05375] the wood [06086] of their graven image [06459], and pray [06419] unto a god [0410] that cannot save [03467].
	King James	Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
escaped of the nations--those of the nations who shall have escaped the slaughter inflicted by Cyrus. Now, at last, ye shall see the folly of "praying to a god that cannot save" (Isa 45:16). Ultimately, those that shall be "left of all the nations which shall come against Jerusalem" are meant (Zac 14:16). They shall then all be converted to the Lord (Isa 66:23-24; Jer 3:17; Zac 8:20-23).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

escaped of the nations--those of the nations who shall have escaped the slaughter inflicted by Cyrus. Now, at last, ye shall see the folly of "praying to a god that cannot save" (Isa 45:16). Ultimately, those that shall be "left of all the nations which shall come against Jerusalem" are meant (Zac 14:16). They shall then all be converted to the Lord (Isa 66:23-24; Jer 3:17; Zac 8:20-23).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Assemble yourselves, and come - This, like the passage in Isa 41:1 ff, is a solemn appeal to the worshippers of idols, to come and produce the evidences of their being endowed with omniscience, and with almighty power, and of their having claims to the homage of their worshippers. Ye that are escaped of the nations - This phrase has been very variously interpreted. Kimchi supposes that it means those who were distinguished among the nations, their chiefs, and rulers; Aben Ezra, that the Babylonians are meant especially; Vitringa, that the phrase denotes proselytes, as those who have escaped from the idolatry of the pagan, and have embraced the true religion; Grotius, that it denotes those who survived the slaughter which Cyrus inflicted on the nations. Rosenmuller coincides in opinion with Vitringa. The word used here (פליט pâlı̂yṭ) denotes properly one who has escaped by flight from battle, danger, or slaughter Gen 14:13; Jos 8:32. It is not used anywhere in the sense of a proselyte; and the idea here is, I think, that those who escaped from the slaughter which Gyrus would bring on the nations, were invited to come and declare what benefit they had derived from trusting in idol-gods. In Isa 45:16, God had said they should all be ashamed and confounded who thus put their trust in idols; and he here calls on them as living witnesses that it was so. Those who had put their confidence in idols, and who had seen Cyrus carry his arms over nations notwithstanding their vain confidence, could now testify that no reliance was to be placed on them, and could be adduced as witnesses to show the importance of putting their trust in Yahweh. That set up the wood - The word 'wood' is used here to show the folly of worshipping an image thus made, and to show how utterly unable it was to save.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The salvation of Israel, foretold and realized by Jehovah, becomes at the same time the salvation of the heathen world. "Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye escaped of the heathen! Irrational are they who burden themselves with the wood of their idol, and pray to a god that bringeth no salvation. Make known, and cause to draw near; yea, let them take counsel together: Who has made such things known from the olden time, proclaimed it long ago? have not I, Jehovah? and there is no Deity beside me; a God just, and bringing salvation: there is not without me!" The fulness of the Gentiles, which enters into the kingdom of God, is a remnant of the whole mass of the heathen: for salvation comes through judgment; and it is in the midst of great calamities that the work of that heathen mission is accomplished, which is represented in these prophecies on the one hand as the mission of Cyrus, and on the other hand as the mission of Jehovah and His servant. Hence this summons to listen to the self-assertion of the God of revelation, is addressed to the escaped of the heathen, who are not therefore the converted, but those who are susceptible of salvation, and therefore spared. By "the heathen" (haggōyı̄m) Knobel understands the allies and auxiliaries of the Babylonians, whom Cyrus put to flight (according to the Cyropaedia) before his Lydian campaign. But this is only an example of that exaggerated desire to turn everything into history, which not only prevented his seeing the poetry of the form, but obscured the fact that prophecy is both human and divine. For the future was foreshortened to the telescopic glance of the prophet, so that he could not see it in all its length and breadth. He saw in one mass what history afterwards unrolled; and then behind the present he could just see as it were the summit of the end, although a long eventful way still lay between the two. Accordingly, our prophet here takes his stand not at the close of any particular victory of Cyrus, but at the close of all his victories; and, in his view, these terminate the whole series of catastrophes, which are outlived by a remnant of the heathen, who are converted to Jehovah, and thus complete the final glory of the restored people of God. Throughout the whole of these prophecies we see immediately behind the historical foreground this eschatological background lifting up its head. The heathen who have been preserved will assemble together; and from the fact that Jehovah proves Himself the sole foreteller of the events that are now unfolding themselves, they will be brought to the conviction that He is the only God. The hithpael hithnaggēsh does not occur anywhere else. On the absolute ידע לא, see at Isa 44:9 (cf., Isa 1:3). To the verb haggı̄shū we must supply, as in Isa 41:22, according to the same expression in Isa 45:21, עצּמתיכם (your proofs). "This" refers to the fall of Babylon and redemption of Israel - salvation breaking through judgment. On mē'âz, from the olden time, compare Isa 44:8. God is "a just God and a Saviour," as a being who acts most stringently according to the demands of His holiness, and wherever His wrath is not wickedly provoked, sets in motion His loving will, which is ever concerned to secure the salvation of men.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The salvation of Israel, foretold and realized by Jehovah, becomes at the same time the salvation of the heathen world. "Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye escaped of the heathen! Irrational are they who burden themselves with the wood of their idol, and pray to a god that bringeth no salvation. Make known, and cause to draw near; yea, let them take counsel together: Who has made such things known from the olden time, proclaimed it long ago? have not I, Jehovah? and there is no Deity beside me; a God just, and bringing salvation: there is not without me!" The fulness of the Gentiles, which enters into the kingdom of God, is a remnant of the whole mass of the heathen: for salvation comes through judgment; and it is in the midst of great calamities that the work of that heathen mission is accomplished, which is represented in these prophecies on the one hand as the mission of Cyrus, and on the other hand as the mission of Jehovah and His servant. Hence this summons to listen to the self-assertion of the God of revelation, is addressed to the escaped of the heathen, who are not therefore the converted, but those who are susceptible of salvation, and therefore spared. By "the heathen" (haggōyı̄m) Knobel understands the allies and auxiliaries of the Babylonians, whom Cyrus put to flight (according to the Cyropaedia) before his Lydian campaign. But this is only an example of that exaggerated desire to turn everything into history, which not only prevented his seeing the poetry of the form, but obscured the fact that prophecy is both human and divine. For the future was foreshortened to the telescopic glance of the prophet, so that he could not see it in all its length and breadth. He saw in one mass what history afterwards unrolled; and then behind the present he could just see as it were the summit of the end, although a long eventful way still lay between the two. Accordingly, our prophet here takes his stand not at the close of any particular victory of Cyrus, but at the close of all his victories; and, in his view, these terminate the whole series of catastrophes, which are outlived by a remnant of the heathen, who are converted to Jehovah, and thus complete the final glory of the restored people of God. Throughout the whole of these prophecies we see immediately behind the historical foreground this eschatological background lifting up its head. The heathen who have been preserved will assemble together; and from the fact that Jehovah proves Himself the sole foreteller of the events that are now unfolding themselves, they will be brought to the conviction that He is the only God. The hithpael hithnaggēsh does not occur anywhere else. On the absolute ידע לא, see at Isa 44:9 (cf., Isa 1:3). To the verb haggı̄shū we must supply, as in Isa 41:22, according to the same expression in Isa 45:21, עצּמתיכם (your proofs). "This" refers to the fall of Babylon and redemption of Israel - salvation breaking through judgment. On mē'âz, from the olden time, compare Isa 44:8. God is "a just God and a Saviour," as a being who acts most stringently according to the demands of His holiness, and wherever His wrath is not wickedly provoked, sets in motion His loving will, which is ever concerned to secure the salvation of men.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Draw near - To hear what I have said, and am now about to say. Of the nations - The remnant of the Gentiles, who survive the many destructions, which I am bringing upon the Heathen nations.

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²⁰ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635]; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come [0935] people [05971], and the inhabitants [03427] of many [07227] cities [05892]:
²¹ And the inhabitants [03427] of one [0259] city shall go [01980] to another [0259], saying [0559], Let us go [03212] speedily [01980] to pray [02470] before [06440] the LORD [03068], and to seek [01245] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635]: I will go [03212] also.
²² Yea, many [07227] people [05971] and strong [06099] nations [01471] shall come [0935] to seek [01245] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] in Jerusalem [03389], and to pray [02470] before [06440] the LORD [03068].
²³ Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635]; In those days [03117] it shall come to pass, that ten [06235] men [0582] shall take hold [02388] out of all languages [03956] of the nations [01471], even shall take hold [02388] of the skirt [03671] of him that is a Jew [0376] [03064], saying [0559], We will go [03212] with you: for we have heard [08085] that God [0430] is with you.

¹⁷ At that time [06256] they shall call [07121] Jerusalem [03389] the throne [03678] of the LORD [03068]; and all the nations [01471] shall be gathered [06960] unto it, to the name [08034] of the LORD [03068], to Jerusalem [03389]: neither shall they walk [03212] any more after [0310] the imagination [08307] of their evil [07451] heart [03820].

²³ And it shall come to pass, that from [01767] one new moon [02320] to another [02320], and from [01767] one sabbath [07676] to another [07676], shall all flesh [01320] come [0935] to worship [07812] before [06440] me, saith [0559] the LORD [03068].
²⁴ And they shall go forth [03318], and look [07200] upon the carcases [06297] of the men [0582] that have transgressed [06586] against me: for their worm [08438] shall not die [04191], neither shall their fire [0784] be quenched [03518]; and they shall be an abhorring [01860] unto all flesh [01320].

¹⁶ And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left [03498] of all the nations [01471] which came [0935] against Jerusalem [03389] shall even go up [05927] from [01767] year [08141] to year [08141] to worship [07812] the King [04428], the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], and to keep [02287] the feast [02282] of tabernacles [05521].

¹⁶ They shall be ashamed [0954], and also confounded [03637], all of them: they shall go [01980] to confusion [03639] together [03162] that are makers [02796] of idols [06736].

³² And he wrote [03789] there upon the stones [068] a copy [04932] of the law [08451] of Moses [04872], which he wrote [03789] in the presence [06440] of the children [01121] of Israel [03478].

¹³ And there came [0935] one that had escaped [06412], and told [05046] Abram [087] the Hebrew [05680]; for he dwelt [07931] in the plain [0436] of Mamre [04471] the Amorite [0567], brother [0251] of Eshcol [0812], and brother [0251] of Aner [06063]: and these were confederate [01167] [01285] with Abram [087].

¹ Keep silence [02790] before me, O islands [0339]; and let the people [03816] renew [02498] their strength [03581]: let them come near [05066]; then let them speak [01696]: let us come near [07126] together [03162] to judgment [04941].

⁸ Fear [06342] ye not, neither be afraid [07297] [07297]: have not I told [08085] thee from that time [0227], and have declared [05046] it? ye are even my witnesses [05707]. Is there [03426] a God [0433] beside [01107] me? yea, there is no God [06697]; I know [03045] not any.

²¹ Tell [05046] ye, and bring them near [05066]; yea, let them take counsel [03289] together [03162]: who hath declared [08085] this from ancient time [06924]? who hath told [05046] it from that time? have not I the LORD [03068]? and there is no God [0430] else beside [01107] me; a just [06662] God [0410] and a Saviour [03467]; there is none [0369] beside [02108] me.

²² Let them bring them forth [05066], and shew [05046] us what shall happen [07136]: let them shew [05046] the former things [07223], what they be, that we may consider [07760] [03820] them, and know [03045] the latter end [0319] of them; or declare [08085] us things for to come [0935].

³ The ox [07794] knoweth [03045] his owner [07069], and the ass [02543] his master's [01167] crib [018]: but Israel [03478] doth not know [03045], my people [05971] doth not consider [0995].

⁹ They that make [03335] a graven image [06459] are all of them vanity [08414]; and their delectable things [02530] shall not profit [03276]; and they are their own witnesses [05707]; they see [07200] not, nor know [03045]; that they may be ashamed [0954].