res regarding the Future are not by any means intended to
serve for the gratification of idle curiosity, but to advance the same
object to which the events prophesied are also subservient, viz., the
promotion of God's glory. The [Pg 226] modern view of Prophetism is
irreconcileable with the verses under consideration, which evidently
shew, that the prophets themselves were filled with a different
consciousness of their mission and position And in like manner it
follows from them, that there is no reason to put, by means of a forced
interpretation, the prophecy within the horizon of the Prophet's time,
seeing that the Prophet himself shows himself to be thoroughly
penetrated by its altogether supernatural character.

[Footnote 1: This embarrassment becomes still more obvious in the
explanation of _Vatke_, who understands by the Servant of God, "the
harmless ideal abstract of the people;" and that of _Beck_, who
understands thereby "the notion of the people."]

[Footnote 2: The Hebrew word is [Hebrew: mwpT], which means "judgment,"
"right," "law." Dr. _Hengstenberg_ has translated it by _Recht_, which
is, as nearly as possible, expressed by the English word "right,"
(_jus_,) as including "law" and "statutes."--_Tr._]

CHAPTER XLIX. 1-9.

The Servant of God, with whose person the Prophet had. by way of
preparation, already made us acquainted in the first book of the second
part, in chap. xlii., is here, at the beginning of the second book, at
once introduced as speaking, surprising, as it were, the readers. In
ver. 1-3, we have the destination and high calling which the Lord
assigned to His Servant; in ver. 4, the contrast and contradiction of
the result of this mission; the covenant-people, to whom it is, in the
first instance, directed, reward with ingratitude His faithful work. In
ver. 5 and 6, we are told what God does in order to maintain the
dignity of His Servant; as a compensation for obstinate, rebellious
Israel, He gives Him the _Gentiles_ for an inheritance. From ver. 7 the
Prophet takes the word. In ver. 7 the original contempt which,
according to the preceding verses, the Servant of God meets with,
especially in _Israel_, is contrasted with the respectful worship of
nations and kings which is to follow after it. Ver. 8 and 9 describe
how the Servant of God proves himself to be the embodied covenant of
the people, and form the transition to a general description of the