_As for thee, by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thy
prisoners, from the pit wherein is no water._
That the Messiah is apostrophized in these words, cannot, surely, admit of
doubt or dispute; and words more forcible, or more pregnant with meaning,
upon the Christian’s view of them, it is not easy to conceive. שלחתי (or
יתחלש) _I have sent forth_, is really the perfect tense, though written
several centuries before the coming of Christ; but it is not at all
unusual in prophetic language to use this tense, which represents as
already accomplished, what is determined in the Divine purpose, although
the fulfilment be still future.
The writer is well aware of a formidable objection presented by the Hebrew
punctuation, against the application of this verse to the Messiah, as the
pronoun “thee” את (or תא) is by the pointing made to be of the feminine
gender. This is one of many instances in which the punctuation tends to
embarrass instead of elucidating the subject of the prophecy—instances
which have mainly contributed to the determination of the writer to
disregard the points. It remains for those who regard them as of paramount
authority, to offer a solution of this and other passages equally clear
and satisfactory, and equally consistent throughout. If “thee” be meant to
apostrophise the daughter of Zion, what blood—what covenant—what
prisoners—what pit, are here alluded to? Upon the view here offered, the
event foreshewn is the death of the Messiah, an event wholly at variance
with the expectations of the Jews, but here distinctly announced, along
with the most striking particulars attendant on that event; such as the
frustration of the hopes of temporal advantages expected from his
coming—the nature of the spiritual blessings which it was really intended
to impart; namely, the remission of sins, and the redemption of the
Gentile world from idolatry. Along with these is stated the personal
character of the Messiah, and the express manner of his coming; not in
glory as expected, but in meekness and humility—the peaceful nature of his
kingdom—its boundless extent, destined to embrace all nations—yet in
apparent contradiction, his death is intimated, but also his resurrection
whereby he becomes “_the first fruits of them that slept_.” These are all
clearly intimated in this chapter; and of these, how many have former
commentators, with or without the aid of points, been able to make out? At
most, only three or four verses, as where he is mentioned as riding into
Jerusalem on an ass; and here, according to Blaney, the text requires to
be altered, to shew that he was a Saviour, נושע (or עשונ) being saved,
being altered into משע (or עשמ) a Saviour; while, according to Lowth, all
that here relates to the Messiah is to be regarded as a rhapsodical
digression from the subject of the context.