Isaiah42

Isaiah 42 introduces the Lord's chosen Servant, upon whom God's Spirit rests, who will gently bring judgment and truth to the Gentiles. God, the Creator, calls this Servant to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations, promising to lead the blind. However, the chapter concludes with a sharp rebuke of Israel, God's own servant, for their spiritual blindness and disobedience, explaining their suffering as a consequence of forsaking His law.

The Servant's Character and Mission

1
Lo, My servant, I take hold on him, My chosen one--My soul hath accepted, I have put My Spirit upon him, Judgment to nations he bringeth forth.
2
He doth not cry, nor lift up, Nor cause his voice to be heard, in the street.
3
A bruised reed he breaketh not, And dim flax he quencheth not, To truth he bringeth forth judgment.
4
He doth not become weak nor bruised, Till he setteth judgment in the earth, And for his law isles wait with hope.

The Lord Commissions the Servant

5
Thus said God, Jehovah, preparing The heavens, and stretching them out, Spreading out the earth and its productions, Giving breath to the people on it, And spirit to those walking in it.
6
I, Jehovah, did call thee in righteousness, And I lay hold on thy hand, and keep thee, And I give thee for a covenant of a people, And a light of nations.
7
To open the eyes of the blind, To bring forth from prison the bound one, From the house of restraint those sitting in darkness.
8
I am Jehovah, this is My name, And Mine honour to another I give not, Nor My praise to graven images.
9
The former things, lo, have come, And new things I am declaring, Before they spring up I cause you to hear.

Call for Global Praise

10
Sing to Jehovah a new song, His praise from the end of the earth, Ye who are going down to the sea, and its fulness, Isles, and their inhabitants.
11
The wilderness and its cities do lift up the voice , The villages Kedar doth inhabit, Sing do the inhabitants of Sela, From the top of mountains they cry.
12
They ascribe to Jehovah honour, And His praise in the isles they declare.

The Lord Acts as a Divine Warrior

13
Jehovah as a mighty one goeth forth. As a man of war He stirreth up zeal, He crieth, yea, He shrieketh, Against His enemies He showeth Himself mighty.
14
I have kept silent from of old, I keep silent, I refrain myself, As a travailing woman I cry out, I desolate and swallow up together.
15
I make waste mountains and hills, And all their herbs I dry up, And I have made rivers become isles, And ponds I dry up.
16
And I have caused the blind to go, In a way they have not known, In paths they have not known I cause them to tread, I make a dark place before them become light, And unlevelled places become a plain, These are the things I have done to them, And I have not forsaken them.
17
Removed backward--utterly ashamed, Are those trusting in a graven image, Those saying to a molten image, `Ye are our gods.'

Israel's Spiritual Blindness

18
Ye deaf, hear; and ye blind, look to see.
19
Who is blind but My servant? And deaf as My messenger I send? Who is blind as he who is at peace, Yea, blind, as the servant of Jehovah?
20
Seeing many things, and thou observest not, Opening ears, and he heareth not.
21
Jehovah hath delight for the sake of His righteousness, He magnifieth law, and maketh honourable.
22
And this is a people seized and spoiled, Snared in holes--all of them, And in houses of restraint they were hidden, They have been for a prey, And there is no deliverer, A spoil, and none is saying, `Restore.'
23
Who among you giveth ear to this? Attendeth, and heareth afterwards.
24
Who hath given Jacob for a spoil, And Israel to the spoilers? Is it not Jehovah--He against whom we sinned? Yea, they have not been willing in His ways to walk, Nor have they hearkened to His law.
25
And He poureth on him fury, His anger, and the strength of battle, And it setteth him on fire round about, And he hath not known, And it burneth against him, and he layeth it not to heart!
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