Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
Among them "Among the idols" - For umeelleh , I read umeellim , with the Septuagint, , "and from or among the idols. "See Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 57:5.
R. D. Kimchi has many good observations on this chapter. Bishop Lowth follows him in applying it to Abraham, and not to Cyrus; the whole being spoken in the past tense, which is not used, or rarely, in such a case for the future. Almost the whole of the rabbins understand it of Abraham. On Kimchi' s plan, the following is a paraphrase.
The righteous man - Abram, from the east - the land of his nativity, called the land of the children of the east, Genesis 29:1.
Brought him to his feet - Whithersoever his feet went, he preached righteousness and truth; as it is written, "There he proclaimed in the name of Jehovah," Genesis 21:31. And he called it vaiyikraehu - that is, tsedek , righteousness, to his feet, enabled him to hold it forth wherever he went.
He called the nations - To leave their idols and worship him who made the universe. He taught them the way of righteousness, truth, and faith. Was there ever a prodigy like to this? A man who had been an idolater, rising up against all the nations of the earth, reproving their faith, and not fearing before them nor their kings! Who stirred up his heart to do this? Was it not the Lord?
Gave the nations before him - And made him rule over kings - Chedorlaomer, and the kings which were with him: whom the Lord gave as dust to his sword, and stubble to his bow.
He pursued them - He and his three hundred and eighteen servants.
He passed safely - shalom for beshalom , in safety; so said, because he lost not one of his men in this expedition. See Kimchi.
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