Isaiah 49:16

“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, &c.] Not upon his thick clouds, the clouds of heaven under him, always in view, as R. Saadiah Gaon, mentioned by Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Kimchi: much better the Targum, “lo, as upon the hands thou art engraven before me;” signifying that his people were always in his sight, his eyes were ever upon them, and never withdrawn from them; as anything held in the hand, or tied to or wore upon it, as a signet or ring that has the name of a person on it, to which the allusion may be; which shows how near and dear they are to him, what affection he has for them, and care of them; (see <220806>Song of Solomon 8:6). Some think respect is had to the…”

“Alluding to the Jews' custom (perhaps drawn from Exo 13:9) of puncturing on their hands a representation of their city and temple, in token of zeal for them [LOWTH], (Sol 8:6).”

“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands - This is another argument in answer to the complaint of Zion in Isaiah 49:14. There have been various interpretations of this passage. Grotius supposes that it refers to a custom of placing some mark or sign on the hand, or on one of the fingers when they wished to remember anything, and appeals to Exodus 13:9. Lowth supposes that it is an allusion to some practice common among the Jews at that time, of making marks on their hands or arms by means of punctures in the skin with some sign or representation of the city or temple, to show their zeal and affection for it. In illustration of this, he refers to the fact that the pilgrims to the…”

“Graven - He alludes to the common practice of men who put signs upon their hands or fingers of such things as they would remember. Isaiah 49:18”

“I have: Exo 13:9; Sol 8:6; Jer 22:24; Hag 2:23 thy walls: Isa 26:1, Isa 54:12, Isa 60:18; Rev 21:10-21 Isaiah 49:17”