Commentaire sur Isaïe 40:10

shall come with a strong [hand] to mete out retribution upon the heathens. ([Mss. read:] Upon the nations.)

בחזק With strong hand, יד hand is to be supplied; as to the use of יד as a masculine noun, comp. Ez. 2:9.²⁴חזק is an adjective; the noun, which is to be qualified by this attribute, must be supplied.

behold His reward is with Him It is prepared with Him for the righteous.

שכרו His reward, that is, the reward which He will give to him that hopes for Him.²⁵The phrase his reward admits of two meanings; namely, 1, the reward which he gives; 2, the reward which he receives. The first explanation, though introduced anonymously, is not I. E.’s own opinion; he rejects it and replaces it by another, which is based on the second meaning of his reward. ופעלתו And his wages. Comp. פעלת שכיר the wages of him that is hired; פעלה lit. work signifies also the wages for the work.—I think that this explanation is not supported by the context, and that the sense of the sentence is: God does not ask for any wages ; He is not like a hired shepherd, but כרעה עדרו (next verse) like one, that feeds his own flock.

and His recompense [lit. His deed,] the recompense for the deed, which He is obliged to give them.