Isaiah 49:2

2 He made my tongue like a sharp sword. He hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me like a sharp arrow. He hid me in the holder for his arrows.

Isaiah 49:2 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 49:2

And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword
Or,

``he hath put his words in my mouth as a sharp sword,''
as the Targum; namely, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and is sharper than a twoedged sword, and is said to come out of the mouth of Christ, ( Ephesians 6:17 ) ( Hebrews 4:12 ) ( Revelation 1:16 ) , with which he pierces into and cuts the hearts of men, and lays open all their sin and unrighteousness, and cuts down the worst and best in men, and slays all his enemies; so his mouth was as a sharp sword in the days of his flesh, to inveigh against the sins and to refute the errors of the Scribes and Pharisees; as it will be, in the latter day, to smite the nations of the earth, ( Revelation 19:15 Revelation 19:21 ) : "in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me"; in his counsels and purposes of old, and in his providence;
``in the shadow of his power hath he protected me,''
as the Targum; thus he hid, and protected him from Herod's cruelty in his infancy; and from the rage and malice of the Scribes and Pharisees, who sought often to lay hands on him, and take away his life before his time. The Jews talk very much of the Messiah's being hid under the throne of glory. Aben Ezra's remark, that the phrase, "he hath hid me", answers to the scabbard of a sword, before mentioned, is not amiss: and made me a polished shaft;
or, "choice arrow" F19; which being polished at the point, or well oiled, and shining, pierces the deeper, So the doctrines of Christ, the words of his mouth, are compared to bright and sharp arrows, which make cutting work, and give great pain where they come; as they sometimes do like arrows, swiftly, suddenly, and with great force and power, ( Psalms 45:5 ) . Kimchi observes, that he speaks of a sharp sword with respect to the Jews that were near, where a sword could reach them; and of a polished shaft or arrow with respect to the Gentiles afar off, which must be cast after them: in his quiver hath he hid me,
meaning his secret purposes, and his powerful protection, as before; which he compares to a quiver, a case in which arrows are put, because mention had been made of a polished shaft or arrow before.
FOOTNOTES:

F19 (rwrb Ux) (belov eklekton) Sept. "sagittam electam", V. L. "telum electum", Cocceius; "sagittam nitidam vel electam", Vitringa.

Isaiah 49:2 In-Context

1 All of you people in faraway places, listen to me. Listen, all you nations far away. Before I was born, the Lord called me to serve him. The Lord named me while I was still in my mother's body.
2 He made my tongue like a sharp sword. He hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me like a sharp arrow. He hid me in the holder for his arrows.
3 He told me, "Israel, you are my servant. I will show my glory through you."
4 But I said, "I have worked hard for nothing; I have used all my power, but I did nothing useful. But the Lord will decide what my work is worth; God will decide my reward."
5 The Lord made me in the body of my mother to be his servant, to lead the people of Jacob back to him so that Israel might be gathered to him. The Lord will honor me, and I will get my strength from my God.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.