Isaiah 44:4

“And they shall spring up as among the grass, &c.] That is, such on whom the Spirit of the Lord shall be poured with his gifts and grace, and with the blessings of it: by the “grass” may be meant common believers, comparable to green grass, for their numbers, being many; for their weakness in themselves; for their flourishing condition; like grass for its greenness, and verdure, and its springing up by clear shining after rain; (see <197206> Psalm 72:6,16) and by those that “spring up among them” are intended the apostles and ministers of the word, who exceed common Christians in their gifts, and grace, and usefulness; grow up higher and taller than they, like palm trees and cedars in…”

“they--thy "seed" and "offspring" (Isa 44:3). as among--needlessly inserted in English Version. Rather, "The seed shall spring up as willows among the grass beside canals of water" [HORSLEY]. Or, "They shall spring up among the grass (that is, luxuriantly; for what grows in the midst of grass grows luxuriantly) as willows by the water-courses," which makes the parallel clauses better balanced [MAURER].”

“And they shall spring up - The idea is, that as plants and trees planted by water-courses, and in well-watered fields, grow and flourish, so should their children grow in virtue, hope, piety, and zeal. As among the grass - They shall spring up and flourish as the grass does when abundantly watered from heaven. On the meaning of the unusual form of the word בבים bebēyn, in the Hebrew (“in among”), see Vitringa and Rosenmuller. The ב (b) here is undoubtedly an error of the transcriber for כ (k) (“as”) - an error which, from the similarity of the letters, might be readily made. The Septuagint reads it, Ὡς Hōs - ‘As.’ The Chaldee reads it, כ (k) (“as”). As willows by the water-courses -…”

“spring: Isa 58:11, Isa 61:11; Psa 1:3, Psa 92:13-15; Act 2:41-47, Act 4:4, Act 5:14 willows: Psa 137:1, Psa 137:2; Eze 17:5 Isaiah 44:5”