Isaiah 40:11
shepherd ... tends <07462> [feed.]
gathers up <06908> [he shall gather.]
leads <05095> [shall gently lead.]
A beautiful image, as Bp. Lowth remarks, expressive of the tender attention of the shepherd to his flock. That the greatest care in driving the cattle, in regard to the dams and their young, was necessary, appears clearly from Jacob's apology to his brother Esau, Ge 33:13; which is set in a still stronger light by the following remarks of Sir J. Chardin: "Their flocks feed down the places of their encampments so quick, by the great numbers that they have, that they are obliged to remove them often, which is very destructive to their flocks, on account of the young ones, who have not strength enough to follow."
ewes <05763> [are with young. or, give suck.]
Isaiah 40:22
sits ....... inhabitants .......................... pitched <03427> [It is he that sitteth. or, Him that sitteth, etc.]
sits ....... inhabitants .......................... pitched <03427> [the inhabitants.]
He ...... stretches out <05186> [stretcheth.]
curtain <01852> [as a curtain.]
Or, "as a thin veil," as Bp. Lowth renders; which he illustrates by the following passage from Dr. Shaw. "It is usual in the summer season, and upon all occasions when a large company is to be received, to have the court sheltered from heat, or inclemency of the weather by a {velum,} umbrella, or veil, as I shall call it; which, being expanded on ropes from one end of the parapet to the other, may be folded or unfolded at pleasure. The Psalmist seems to allude to some covering of this kind, in that beautiful expression of spreading out the heavens as a curtain."
