Charles Ellicott Commentary Isaiah 49:24

"Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered?" — Isaiah 49:24 (ASV)

Shall the prey be taken ...?—The question is asked by Zion in her little faith. The next phrase, “lawful captive,” literally “captive of righteousness,” may mean:

1. as in the Authorised Version, a captive whom the conqueror had a right to take; or
2. one who was righteous and yet had been given into captivity.

Neither meaning is quite satisfactory. A conjectural emendation gives the captives of the terrible one, which fits in with the parallelism of the next verse.