Commentaries:
Adam Clarke
So shall he sprinkle many nations - I retain the common rendering, though I am by no means satisfied with it. " yazzeh , frequent in the law, means only to sprinkle: but the water sprinkled is the accusative case; the thing on which has al or el . , ́ , makes the best apodosis. yenahag would do. yinharu is used Isaiah 2:2; Jeremiah 31:12; Jeremiah 51:14, but is unlike. ' Kings shall shut,' etc., is good, but seems to want a first part." - Secker. Munster translates it, faciet loqui , ( de se ); and in his note thus explains it: yazzeh proprie significat spargere et stillas disseminare; hic hero capitur pro loqui, et verbum disseminare . " yazzeh properly signifies to sprinkle, and to scatter about drops; but it here means to speak, and to disseminate the word." This is pretty much as the Rabbins Kimchi and Sal. ben Belec explain it, referring to the expression of "dropping the word." But the same objection lies to this as to the common rendering; it ought to be ( ) yazzeh ( debar ) al goyim . Bishop Chandler, Defence, p. 148, says, "that to sprinkle is used for to surprise and astonish, as people are that have much water thrown upon them. And this sense is followed by the Septuagint." This is ingenious, but rather too refined. Dr. Duress conjectures that the true reading may be yechezu , they shall regard, which comes near to the of the Septuagint, who seem to give the best sense of any to this place.
"I find in my papers the same conjecture which Dr. Durell made from in the Septuagint. And it may be added that chazah is used to express ' looking on any thing with admiration,' Psalms 11:7; Psalms 17:15; Psalms 27:4; Psalms 63:2; Song of Songs 6:13. It is particularly applied to ' looking on God,' Exodus 24:11, and Job 19:26. Gisbert Cuper, in Observ. lib. Job 2:1, though treating on another subject, has some observations which show how nearly ̔ and are allied, which, with the peculiar sense of the verb chazah above noted, add to the probability of being the version of yechezu in the text: ̔ ̔ . Hesiod., id est. cum veneratione quadam adminantur. Hinc ̔ et junxit Themistius Or. 1: ̔ ̔, . Theophrastus in Charact. c. 3. ̔ ̔ . Hence the rendering of this verse seems to be -
"So many nations shall look on him with admiration
Kings shall stop their mouths."
Dr. Jubb.
Does not sprinkling the nations refer to the conversion and baptism of the Gentiles? Many nations shall become proselytes to his religion.
Kings shall shut their mouths at him - His Gospel shall so prevail that all opposition shall be finally overcome; and kings and potentates shall be overwhelmed with confusion, and become speechless before the doctrines of his truth. When they hear these declared they shall attentively consider them, and their conviction of their truth shall be the consequence.
For that which had not been told them - The mystery of the Gospel so long concealed. See Romans 15:21; Romans 16:25.
Shall they see - With the eyes of their faith; God enlightening both organ and object.
And that which they had not heard - The redemption of the world by Jesus Christ; the conversion of the Gentiles, and making them one flock with the converted Jews. - Trapp
Other Adam Clarke entries containing Isaiah 52:15:
Romans 15:21
Hebrews 6:2
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