Fear Not, Servant Israel (41:1-20): Chapter 41 opens and closes with the first of a number of courtroom scenes that appear in chapters 40–48. In each scene, Yahweh challenges the nations to come to court to settle a dispute over who is really God. The English chapter division implies that these belong together, but as the prophecies further unfold it becomes clear that they are similar beginnings for two parallel sequences of prophecies. In this first sequence the nations’ helplessness and their inability to find strength to cope with the crisis that confronts them (vv. 1–7) contrasts with Yahweh’s offer of strength to Jacob-Israel (vv. 8–16). Yahweh will express support for Israel by transforming nature in such a way that people will recognize Yahweh’s hand in what happens (vv. 17–20).

41:…