Isaiah 41:6
in Isaiah 41Each one helps the other and says to his brother, “Be strong!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
They help every one his neighbor; and every one saith to his brother, Be of good courage.
KJV
They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.
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This verse in Isaiah 41
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThey helped everyone his neighbour,.... By advice and counsel, by the best arguments they could make use of, to withstand the new religion, and defend the old one; to prevent the embracing the one, and relinquishing the other: and everyone said to his brother, be of good courage: or, "be strong" (m); they strengthened one another's hands in their idolatrous worship, encouraged each other to oppose the prevailing doctrine; urging, that the craft of some was in danger, and the religion of them all at stake, and their gods like to fall into contempt.
This site's exposition
The islands see and fear
on Isaiah 41:5-7
The islands see and fear, and the ends of the earth tremble. Their answer is to strengthen their idols, as each one says to his brother, Be strong. The work ends when the smith nails it down, a god fastened in place, set against the LORD, who needs no support.
This site's exposition
Each one helps the other
Barnes reads the mutual help as a league of idolatrous nations formed against the one God had raised up from the east. Gill hears in the cry be strong the voice of men whose trade and gods stood in danger. The scene recalls the silversmiths of Ephesus in Acts 19.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
You, Jacob, now ponder such things, the Savior of everything did not privilege you over the salvation of other human beings but chose the things that suited you, while to the rest of the nations he announced an exchange, summoning them all to knowledge of him.… He calls "islands" the churches from all the nations, since those partially submerged under the evil of life are like those islands in the sea.…For it is not only those who are called who come to salvation, but also those nearby according to the laws of neighbor love (philanthropy). So they say these things to those worshiping God nearby, who would like to be their brothers and friends yet who are still "out of place." There was a time when our own craftsman prevailed, beating out idols, and the smith struck with a hammer his gods. But now we know that they are nothing and recognize the illusion of our forefathers.
(Chapter 41, verses 1 and following.) Let the islands be silent before me, and let the nations change their strength: let them come near, and then let them speak: let us come together to judgment. Who raised up the Just One from the East, and called him to follow him? He will give nations before him, and he will rule over kings: he will make them like the dust with his sword, and like stubble driven by the wind to his bow. He will pursue them, and he will pass in peace, a path will not appear under his feet.
The meaning of this is as follows: They have approached and come together, no longer staying apart, not alienated from each other through sin but as if brought close through spiritually taking possession, are joined into one faith and a common spirit. For once they tasted of the Lord and understood that he is good and began to wonder at the beauty of his truth, they did not only keep the gift for themselves but each one generously came to the aid of his brother and his friend.
Those who formerly have been in error, as soon as they have benefited from the light of the knowledge of God, cannot bear to hide his glory but call all people to participate in it. "And one will say," that is to say, one who …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Second, he sets out mutual strengthening: every one shall help his neighbor: they stick one to another (Job 41:8).
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Do sinners thus animate and quicken one another in the ways of sin? And shall not the servants of the living God both stir up one another to, and strengthen one another in, his service?
He encourages his faithful ones to trust in him, with an assurance that he would take their part against their enemies, make them victorious over them, and bring about a happy change of their affairs,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
They helped every one his neighbor - The idolatrous nations. The idea is, that they formed confederations to strengthen each other, and to oppose him whom God had raised up to subdue them.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִ֥ישׁ | ʾish | each | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רֵעֵ֖הוּ | reehu | neighbor his | H7453 → | 188 times |
| יַעְזֹ֑רוּ | ya'zoru | they help | H5826 → | 81 times |
| וּלְאָחִ֖יו | uleachiv | and to brother his | H251 → | 630 times |
| יֹאמַ֥ר | yomar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| חֲזָֽק׃ | chazak | be strong | H2388 → | 291 times |
אִ֥ישׁeach
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רֵעֵ֖הוּneighbor his
reehuH7453 →188 times
יַעְזֹ֑רוּthey help
ya'zoruH5826 →81 times
וּלְאָחִ֖יוand to brother his
uleachivH251 →630 times
יֹאמַ֥רhe says
yomarH559 →5305 times
חֲזָֽק׃be strong
chazakH2388 →291 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 35:4Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.”
it leads to
- James 5:7–9
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.
- Isaiah 41:10–14
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Zephaniah 3:16–17
On that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp.
- Isaiah 34:8
For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.
- Haggai 2:4
But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work! For I…
- James 5:7–9
Through
Isaiah 40:19To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains?
it leads to
- Isaiah 46:6–7
They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 10:9
Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz—the work of a craftsman from the hands of a goldsmith. Their clothes are blue and purple, all fashioned by skilled workers.
- Isaiah 46:6–7
Through
Isaiah 44:12The blacksmith takes a tool and labors over the coals; he fashions an idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arms. Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to…
it leads to
- Isaiah 40:19
To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains?
- Isaiah 40:19
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 3:5.41:4-6; Eusebius of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:19; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 12:41.6 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.