Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 40:1

"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God." — Isaiah 40:1 (ASV)

Comfort you, comfort you my people - This is the introduction, or the general subject of this and the following chapters. The beginning is abrupt, as often happens in Isaiah and the other prophets. The scene where this vision is set is in Babylon; the time near the close of the captivity. The topic, or main subject of the consolation, is stated in the following verse - that their captivity was about to end, and that brighter and happier days were to succeed their calamities and their exile.

The exhortation to ‘comfort’ the people is to be understood as a command of God to those in Babylon whose office or duty it would be to address them - that is, to the ministers of religion, or to the prophets. The Targum of Jonathan thus renders it: ‘You prophets, prophesy consolations concerning my people.’ The Septuagint renders it: ‘Comfort you, comfort you my people, says God. O priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem; comfort her.’ The design of Isaiah is doubtless to furnish that which should be to them a source of consolation when amid the deep distress of their long captivity; to furnish an assurance that the captivity was about to end, and that brighter and happier times were to follow.

The exhortation or command is repeated to give intensity or emphasis to it, in the usual manner in Hebrew, where emphasis is denoted by the repetition of a word. The word rendered ‘comfort’ (from נחם nâcham) properly means to draw the breath forcibly, to sigh, pant, groan; then to lament, or grieve (Psalms 90:13; Jeremiah 15:6); then to comfort or console oneself (Genesis 38:12).

Then it means to take vengeance (Compare the note at Isaiah 1:24). All the forms of the word, and all its significations, indicate deep emotion and the obtaining of relief either by repenting, by taking vengeance, or by administering the proper topics of consolation. Here the topic of consolation is that their calamities were about to come to an end, in accordance with the unchanging promises of a faithful God (Isaiah 40:8), and is thus in accordance with what is said in Hebrews 6:17-18.

My people - The people of God. He regarded those in Babylon as his people; and he designed also to present such topics of consolation as would be adapted to comfort all his people in all ages.

Says your God - The God of those whom he addressed - the God of the prophets or ministers of religion whose office was to comfort the people. We may remark here, that it is an important part of the ministerial office to administer consolation to the people of God in affliction; to exhibit to them his promises; to urge the topics of religion that are adapted to sustain them; and especially to uphold and cheer them with the assurance that their trials will soon come to an end, and will all terminate in complete deliverance from sorrow and calamity in heaven.