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parallel passage where none of the great Versions allow of the existence of ambiguity.
Such a passage is Isa. 62: 10, 11:--
"Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up
the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. Behold, the Lord
hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold,
thy Salvation cometh; behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him"
(Isa. 62: 10, 11).
We observe the parallels:--
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord."
"Prepare ye the way of the people."
"Make straight . . . . . a highway for our God."
"Cast up the highway."
"The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain."
"Gather out the stones."
"Lift up thy voice with strength, lift it up."
"Lift up a standard for the people."
"Say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God . . . . . will come."
"Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy Salvation cometh."
"His reward is with Him, and His work before Him."
"His reward is with Him, and His work before Him."
In the near context of Isa. 62: is a parallel with Isa. 40: 2:--
"She hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins" (Isa. 40: 2).
"For your shame ye shall have double . . . . . therefore in their land they shall possess
the double" (Isa.61: 7).
There is much in these parallels to lead us to conclude that the passage we are
considering, namely Isa. 40: 9, 10, is a proclamation of good tidings "to Zion", as the
R.V. indicates, rather than one made "by Zion", as the A.V. gives it, and so far as we are
concerned, this parallel passage decides the matter for us.
We now turn our attention to the structure of the passage as a whole.
Isaiah 40: 1-11.
A | 1, 2. Message of comfort to Jerusalem. Pardon.
B | 3-5. The VOICE. The Forerunner.
"A highway for our God."
The mouth of the Lord hath spoken.
B | 6-8. The VOICE. The Prophet.
"The Word of our God."
The word of our God shall stand for ever.
A | 9-11. Good tidings to Zion. Protection.