Isaiah 42

Isaiah · Chapter 42

Isaiah 42:4

1Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.2He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.3A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.4He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.5Thus 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 unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:6I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;7To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.8I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.9Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.10Sing unto 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 therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.11Let the wilderness and the cities thereof 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.12Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.13The 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.14I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.15I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.16And 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 unto them, and not forsake them.17They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.18Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.19Who 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?20Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.21The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.22But this is a people robbed and spoiled; 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.23Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?24Who 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 unto his law.25Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
4He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.He will not grow weak or discouraged before He has established justice on the earth. In His law the islands will put their hope.”He will not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set justice in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
notלֹ֤אlo'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

he will grow dimיִכְהֶה֙yikh-HEHH3543A
to grow dim

כָּהָה (ka.hah) 1) to grow weak, grow dim, grow faint, falter, be weak, be dim, be darkened, be restrained, be faint, fail 1a) (Qal) to grow dim 1b) (Piel) to faint, grow weak, grow faint

and notוְלֹ֣אve-LO'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

he will be crushedיָר֔וּץya-RUTZH7533
to crush

רָצַץ (ra.tsats) 1) to crush, oppress 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to crush, get crushed, be crushed 1a2) to crush, oppress (fig) 1a3) crushed (participle passive) 1b) (Niphal) to be crushed, be broken 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to crush in pieces 1c2) to grievously oppress (fig) 1d) (Poel) to oppress (fig) 1e) (Hiphil) to crush 1f) (Hithpoel) to crush each other

untilעַד־'ad-H5704
till

עַד (ad) prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

he will establishיָשִׂ֥יםya-SIMH7760A
to set: make

שׂוּם (sum) : make/establish 1) to put, place, set, appoint, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on 1a2) to set, direct, direct toward 1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig) 1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix 1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix 1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give 1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign 1c) (Hophal) to be set

on the earthבָּאָ֖רֶץba-'A-retzH0776G
land: country/planet

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) : country/field 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth …

justiceמִשְׁפָּ֑טmish-PATH4941H
justice: judgement

מִשְׁפָּט (mish.pat) : judgement/punishment 1) judgment, justice, ordinance 1a) judgment 1a1) act of deciding a case 1a2) place, court, seat of judgment 1a3) process, procedure, litigation (before judges) 1a4) case, cause (presented for judgment) 1a5) sentence, decision (of judgment) 1a6) execution (of judgment) 1a7) time (of judgment) 1b) justice, right, rectitude (attributes of God or man) 1c) ordinance 1d) decision (in law) 1e) right, privilege, due (legal) 1f) proper, fitting, measure, fitness, custom, manner, plan

and for instruction hisוּלְתוֹרָת֖וֹu-le-to-ra-TOH8451
instruction

תּוֹרָה (to.rah) 1) law, direction, instruction 1a) instruction, direction (human or divine) 1a1) body of prophetic teaching 1a2) instruction in Messianic age 1a3) body of priestly direction or instruction 1a4) body of legal directives 1b) law 1b1) law of the burnt offering 1b2) of special law, codes of law 1c) custom, manner 1d) the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law

islandsאִיִּ֥ים'i-YIMH0339
coastland

אִי (i) coast, island, shore, region

they will waitיְיַחֵֽילוּ׃ פye-ya-CHEI-luH3176H
to wait: wait

יָחַל (ya.chal) : wait[for_time] 1) to wait, hope, expect 1a) (Niphal) to wait 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to wait, await, tarry 1b2) to wait for, hope for 1c) (Hiphil) to wait, tarry, wait for, hope for Also means: ya.chal (יָחַל ": hope" H3176H)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.