Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
the prey—Israel, long a prey to mighty Gentile nations, whose oppression of her shall reach its highest point under Antichrist (Daniel 11:36-37, Daniel 11:41, Daniel 11:45).
lawful captive—the Jews justly consigned for their sins (Isaiah 50:1) as captives to the foe. Secondarily, Satan and Death are "the mighty" conquerors of man, upon whom his sin give them their "lawful" claim. Christ answers that claim for the sinners, and so the captive is set free (Job 19:25; Job 14:14; Matthew 12:29; Hosea 6:2, where Isaiah 49:4 shows the primary reference is to Israel's restoration, to which the resurrection corresponds; Isaiah 26:19; Ephesians 4:8; Hebrews 2:14-15). Others not so well translate, "the captives taken from among the just Israelites."
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Isaiah 49:24:
Isaiah 52:5
Jeremiah 31:11
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