Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
Will come with strong (hand) - rather, as a strong one ( bªchaazaaq (H2389): the "b" being the Beth essentioe). 'With strength,' the Septuagint, Vulgate, Chaldaic, Arabic, and Syriac (Maurer). Or, against the strong one-namely, Satan (Matthew 12:29; Revelation 20:2-3; Revelation 20:10) (Vitringa). With the English version, cf. Exodus 13:3; Isaiah 8:11; Exo. 20:33-34 .
His arm - power (Psalms 89:13; Psalms 98:1).
Shall rule for him - i:e., He needs not to seek help for Himself from any external source, but by His own inherent power He gains rule for Himself (so Isaiah 40:14).
His work ( uwp'ulaatow (H6468)) - rather, the recompence which He gives for work (Isaiah 62:11; Revelation 22:12). His reward and work, or rather wages, may also be viewed in relation to Himself, as well as to His redeemed: His reward and wages in this point of view are the sheep given to Him by the Father; as Jacob, the typical shepherd, set his wives and his sheep before him, which were his wages (Genesis 31:41; Genesis 32:22-23). So "the joy set before" Messiah was His people, the flock and the Church (Isaiah 53:11-12; Hebrews 12:2). Compare here His work, Isaiah 40:11.