“Zion says, the Lord has forsaken me, my God has forgotten me” [49:14]. The city of Zion was lamenting and mourning her children who were driven into the exile for so long and forgotten.1Radak, Isaiah, 49:14.
“Can a woman forget her baby or disown her child, etc.” [49:15]. The Holy One responded: is there a woman who forgets her young small children? She thinks much about small children and cannot even eat. A mother has all of her thoughts on her small child. Even though one can even find some women who forget their small children, but I, the Holy One, will never forget you.2Radak, Isaiah, 49:15.
“See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands, etc.” [49:16]. The Holy One said: I have not forgotten. You are engraved on My hands, to see you and remember you always. The walls of the Temple that are devastated are always before Me.3Radak, Isaiah, 49:16.
“Swiftly your children are coming, etc.” [49:17]. The evil children and the sinful children who left you will soon be destroyed. They caused your house to be destroyed. They will no longer be among you.4Radak, Isaiah, 49:17.
“Look up all around you and see, etc.” [49:18]. Lift up your eyes and see. Your children will come from all sides.
“You shall don them all like jewels, etc.” [49:18]. When Israel will gather to come to you they will be adorned like a bride, with beautiful children.
“As for your ruins and desolate places and your land laid waste, etc.” [49:19]. The Holy One said: you worry about your cities that are now desolate. A time will come when these cities will be inhabited with many people, so that it would be very crowded to live there. I will move the enemies that tried to swallow you far away from you.
“The children will say in your ears, etc.” [49:20]. You should not worry about your children that you have lost. You will be united with them. A time will come when your children who were dispersed will say it is crowded in the city. Go to the side a bit; let me sit. It will be so crowded because of numerous people.
“You will say to yourself, who bore these for me, etc.” [49:21]. You will say: Who bore all these for me? I was alone, dispersed, exiled, finished and who raised all these? I remained alone. From where do all these come here?
“Thus said the Lord God, etc.” [49:22]. Thus says the Holy One: I will raise My hand to the people and I will also raise My banner to gather them. The nations will bring your children in the folds of their garments. That is to say, they will carry Israel in the bosom of their garments to the city of Jerusalem and the nations will carry Israel on their shoulders to the city of Jerusalem.
“Kings will tend your children, etc.” [49:23]. The kings will raise you and the wives of ministers will nurse your children and they will bow down twice to you. The nations will lick the dust of your feet with their mouths, out of love. You will know that I am God and those who trust in Me will not be shamed.
“Can spoil be taken from a warrior, etc.” [49:24]. The nations said: from where did it come that Israel was taken out of our hands? We were mighty warriors and it is difficult to take out of the hands of a warrior. In addition, we properly captured Israel to be our captives. How is it that they ran away from us?5Radak, Isaiah, 49:24.
“Thus says the Lord, etc.” [49:25]. The Holy One responded to the nations. The first thing that you said, that you are warriors. I am much stronger than you are. You said that you have taken Israel justly. This is not true. You have done everything through robbery. Therefore, you will have to release Israel. I will fight with those who fight with you and I will help your children.6Radak, Isaiah, 49:25.
“I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, etc.” [49:26]. The Holy One said to Israel. I will make your oppressors and those who were a thorn to you eat their flesh and drink their blood like a sweet wine. All the people will know that I am God your helper and your redeemer, strong Jacob.
“Thus said the Lord, where is the book, etc.” [50:1]. The prophet said: you should not think that I have driven you away for so long that you have been exiled forever, like a man who drives away his wife and gives her a divorce that she should remain away forever. I have not done this since I have not given you a divorce. Show me, where is the divorce that I sent your mother away? Or, who is the person who lent Me money for you? Who is the person to whom I sold you? You were sold into the hands of the nations because your sins. That is, the sins are the money for which you were sold and the repentance that you will do will be the money with which you will be redeemed from the nations.7Radak, Isaiah, 50:1.
“Why, when I came, was no one there, etc.”? [50:2]. The Holy One said: you delay the redemption yourself. I am prepared for you to begin your repentance. Why does the exile tarry so long? I came and desired to see if there was one person who desired repentance. However, there was no person there. I called the people to repent and nobody responded and nobody remembered that I have allowed you to remain in exile for so long. Is it because I would not have the strength to redeem you from the exile? However, it is not so, but your sins caused all this.8Radak, Isaiah, 50:2.
“With a mere rebuke I dry up the sea, etc.” [50:2]. The Holy One said: why should you say that I do not have the strength to redeem you from the great exile. Come here and see, when I will scold the sea, the water would dry up, as I did at the Sea of Reeds when Israel went out of Egypt. I only scolded the water that it should dry up and Israel went through the great sea. If I wanted to, I could make a desert of the great rivers, as I did with the Jordan and Israel crossed with dry feet. Many great rivers emptied into the Jordan and they all became dry and all the fish died from thirst and rotted.9Radak, Isaiah, 50:2.
“I clothe the skies in blackness and make their raiment sackcloth” [50:3]. The Holy One said: I have done even more in Egypt. I clothed the skies in black. That is to say, I caused three days of darkness in Egypt. And sackcloth over heaven. That is to say, they should not shine and therefore see that I can perform wonders. How could you think that I could not take you out of the exile?10Radak, Isaiah, 50:3.
“The Lord God gave me, etc.” [50:4]. The prophet said: The Lord God has given me a good tongue, to speak sharply, and to explain the word of God in a timely way. Whoever desires to learn the words of God cheerfully, is like a person who is thirsty to drink, and when he finds water, he drinks cheerfully. He wakes me every morning that I should go and reprove. He opens my ears to learn and accustoms the tongue to speak. I have not rebelled against going where God sent me. I always said I am prepared to go.11Radak, Isaiah, 50:4.
“I offered my back to the floggers, etc.” [50:6]. The prophet said: I am always prepared to go, even when I knew well that they wanted to beat me on my back. I exposed my back and allowed whoever wanted to beat. I also exposed my cheeks and beard. Let whoever wants to, tear out my beard. I have not hidden my face and have not hidden myself from being shamed. Rather, I have gone and followed the word of God to reprove the people.
“The Lord God will help me, etc.” [50:7]. The prophet said: if they will beat me, the Holy One will not give me into their hands to kill me. God helps me and therefore, I am not afraid to publicly reprove. I have made my face as a strong rock to go on and to reprove the people. I know well that I say everything for the sake of the Holy One that will certainly come and publicly utter the words of God.12Radak, Isaiah, 50:7.
“My Vindicator is at hand, who dares to contend with me, etc.” [50:8]. The prophet said: my words will soon come. That is to say, my words will soon be justified, that I am telling the truth. Whoever does not want to believe my words will be true, let them come and argue with me and let them stand before me. We will stand together and talk with each other. The one who wants to have justice, let them approach me.
“The Lord God will help me, etc.” [50:9]. The prophet said: I am not afraid of trials or a conflict with the people who say that my words are not true. God helps me and whoever will accuse me over my words; God has said them and who wants to change them?
“They shall all wear out like a garment, the moths shall consume them” [50:9].
The prophet said: whoever will speak against me, will be like a worn out garment that the moths will eat, so will he also be.
“Who among you fears the Lord” [50:10]. The prophet said: whoever wants to fear God should listen to me. Those who went into the darkness. That is to say, evil ways and evil deeds should now come here to me to repent and should rely on God.13Radak, Isaiah, 50:10.
“But you are all kindlers of fire” [50:11]. You will all be burned with wrath from the Holy One. This is to say, the fire from His nose. From my hand. That is to say, you will lie in mourning; you will lie in every sickness. You will have no strength against your enemies.14Radak, Isaiah, 50:11.
“Listen to me, you who pursue justice, you who seek the Lord, etc.” [51:1]. Come here and follow Me, those who desire the Holy One and go back to your fathers, this is Abraham. Look back to your mothers, this is Sarah. That is to say, go in their path and see what good things and virtues I did for them.15Radak, Isaiah, 51:1.
“He was one when I called him, but I blessed him” [51:2]. I called Abraham one, since he was alone, without children. Later, I gave him many children. That is to say, you Israel should not be despondent about the Holy One, even though you have sat in the exile for a long time. Just as Abraham was without children for a long time and later the Holy One gave him many good children, so will it be for you and you will be redeemed.16Radak, Isaiah, 51:2.
“The Lord has comforted Zion, etc.” [51:3]. The Holy One will comfort Zion and will make the desert like the Garden of Eden, with every good tree and good fruit. Gladness and joy will be found among them, praise and song.
The Talmud says in [tractate] Berakhot. “Why, when I came, was no one there” [50:2]. Rabbi Johanan said: When the Holy One come to the synagogue and does not find a minyan, the Holy One is angry and says: why have I come and no one is here? Rabin the son of Rabbi Ada said in the name of Rav Hisda. A person used to go to the synagogue every day and one day he does not go to the synagogue. The Holy One asks: where is the righteous person who used to come every day? Did he go to perform a mitzvah? If so, may it be light for him and not dark where he goes. However, if he went for his own needs, then it should be dark for him. He should have relied on God, Blessed be His Name, who helps and gives to each person. Concerning this, the verse says here, “who among you reveres the Lord and hears the voice of His servant? Though he walk in darkness and have no light” [50:10].17B. Berakhot, 6b; Yalkut Shimoni, Isaiah, Remez, 473.