Yahweh has long Restrained Himself: at last He will Crush His Foes and Help His Servants. Long inactive, Yahweh is now filled with desire to intervene. He will ravage and lay waste the lands of His foes: but His people He will bring carefully and tenderly home, thus overwhelming the idolators with shame.
Isaiah 42:15. islands: read, parched ground.
Isaiah 42:16. Read, on the way, and omit the next four words. forsake: leave undone.
14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devourd at once.
15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.e These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.