its truth. The second
destination of the Servant of God, which, according to the context,
here comes into special consideration, is, to be _the Light of the
Gentiles_. By the realization of this destination, an important feature
in [Pg 222] the former was, at the same time, realized. For it formed
part of the promises of the covenant with Israel that, from the midst
of them, salvation for all the families of the earth should go forth,
as our Saviour says: [Greek: he soteria ek ton Ioudaion estin.] Light
is here, according to the common _usus loquendi_ of Scripture, a
figurative designation of _salvation_. In the parallel passage, chap.
xlix. 6, light is at once explained by salvation. The designation
proceeds upon the supposition that the Gentiles, not less than Israel,
(comp. chap. ix. 1 [2]) shall, until the appearance of the Servant of
God, sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,--that they are in
misery, although, in some instances, it may be a _brilliant_ misery.
The following verse farther carries out and declares what is implied in
the promise: "Light of the Gentiles." Parallel is chap. lx. 3: "And the
heathen walk in thy (Zion's) light"--they become partakers of the
salvation which shines for Zion--"and kings in the brightness which
riseth to thee."--The supporters of that opinion, which understands
Israel by the Servant of God, are in no small difficulty regarding this
verse, and cannot even agree as to the means of escape from that
difficulty. Several assume that [Hebrew: eM] is used collectively, and
refer it to the Gentile nations. But opposed to this explanation is the
evident antithesis of [Hebrew: eM] and [Hebrew: gviM]; and it is
entirely overthrown by the parallel passage in chap. xlix. Scripture
knows nothing of a covenant with the Gentiles. According to the view of
the Old, as well as of the New Testament, the Gentiles are received
into the communion of the covenant with Israel. Others (_Hitzig_,
_Ewald_) explain: "covenant-people, _i.e._, a mediatorial, connecting
people, a bond of union between God and the nations." But the passage,
chap. xlix. 8, is most decidedly opposed to this. _Farther_--The
parallelism with [Hebrew: avr gviM] shows that [Hebrew: brit eM] is the
_status constructus_. But _f[oe]dus alicujus_, is, according to the
remark of _Gesenius_, _f[oe]dus cum aliquo sancitum_. Thus in Lev.
xxvi. 45, the covenant of the ancestors is the covenant entered into
with the ancestors; Deut. iv.