< Isaiah 42 >

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; my elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Jacob is my servant, I will help him: Israel is my chosen, my soul has accepted him; I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
He shall not cry, nor lift up [his voice], nor shall his voice be heard without.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment to truth.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench; but he shall bring forth judgement to truth.
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he hath set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
He shall shine out, and shall not be discouraged, until he have set judgement on the earth: and in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk in it:
Thus says the Lord God, who made the heaven, and established it; who settled the earth, and the things in it, and gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to them that tread on it:
6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
I the Lord God have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will strengthen you: and I have given you for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles:
7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
to open the eyes of the blind, to bring the bound and them that sit in darkness out of bonds and the prison-house.
8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
I am the Lord God: that is my name: I will not give my glory to another, nor my praises to graven images.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Behold, the ancient things have come to pass, and [so will] the new things which I tell you: yes, before I tell [them] they are made known to you.
10 Sing to the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is in it; the isles, and their inhabitants.
Sing a new hymn to the Lord: you [who are] his dominion, glorify his name from the end of the earth: you that go down to the sea, and sail upon it; the islands, and they that dwell in them.
11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
Rejoice, you wilderness, and the villages thereof, the hamlets, and the dwellers in Kedar: the inhabitants of the rock shall rejoice, they shall shout from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory to the LORD, and declare his praise in the isles.
They shall give glory to God, [and] shall proclaim his praises in the islands.
13 The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
The Lord God of hosts shall go forth, and crush the war: he shall stir up jealousy, and shall shout mightily against his enemies.
14 I have long time held my peace; I have been still, and restrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
I have been silent: shall I also always be silent and forbear: I have endured like a travailing [woman]: I will [now] amaze and wither at once.
15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers isles, and I will dry up the pools.
I will make desolate mountains and hills, and will dry up all their grass; and I will make the rivers islands, and dry up the pools.
16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do for them, and not forsake them.
And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not, and I will cause them to tread paths which they have not known: I will turn darkness into light for them, and crooked things into straight. These things will I do, and will not forsake them.
17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.
But they are turned back: be you utterly ashamed that trust in graven [images], who say to the molten [images], You are our gods.
18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
Hear, you deaf, and look up, you blind, to see.
19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’S servant?
And who is blind, but my servants? and deaf, but they that rule over them? yes, the servants of God have been made blind.
20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
You have often seen, and have not taken heed; [your] ears have been opened, and you have not heard.
21 The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
The Lord God has taken counsel that he might be justified, and might magnify [his] praise.
22 But this is a people robbed and plundered; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.
And I saw, and the people were spoiled and plundered: for [there is] a snare in the secret chambers everywhere, and in the houses also, where they have hidden them: they became a spoil, and there was no one that delivered the prey, and there was none who said, Restore.
23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?
Who [is there] amongst you that will give ear to these things? listen you to the things which are coming to pass.
24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient to his law.
For what did he give to Jacob up to spoil, and Israel to them that plundered him? Did not God [do it] against whom they sinned? [and] they would not walk in his ways, nor listen to his law.
25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire all around, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.
So he brought upon them the fury of his wrath; and the war, and those that burnt round about them, prevailed against them; yet no one of them knew [it], neither did they lay [it] to heart.

< Isaiah 42 >