Isaiah 42

1 Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights. I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

2 He will not cry, nor lift up his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street.

3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench, but he will bring forth justice in truth.

4 He will not fail nor be discouraged till he has set justice in the earth. And in his name Gentiles will hope.

5 Thus says God, Jehovah, he who created the heavens, and stretched them forth, he who spread abroad the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to the people upon it, and spirit to those who walk in it,

6 I, Jehovah, 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,

7 to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison-house.

8 I am Jehovah. That is my name, and I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven images.

9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and I declare new things. Before they spring forth I tell you of them.

10 Sing to Jehovah a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye who go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.

11 Let the wilderness and the cities of it lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing. Let them shout from the top of the mountains.

12 Let them give glory to Jehovah, and declare his praise in the islands.

13 Jehovah will go forth as a mighty man. He will stir up his zeal like a man of war. He will cry, yea, he will shout aloud. He will do mightily against his enemies.

14 I have for a long time held my peace. I have been still, and refrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will gasp and pant together.

15 I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs. And I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.

16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not. I will lead them in paths that they know not. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do, and I will not forsake them.

17 They shall be turned back, they shall be utterly put to shame, who trust in graven images, who say to molten images, Ye are our gods.

18 Hear, ye deaf, and look, ye blind, that ye may see.

19 Who is blind, but my servant, or deaf, as my messenger that I send? Who is blind as he who is at peace with me, and blind as Jehovah's servant?

20 Thou see many things, but thou do not observe. His ears are open, but he does not hear.

21 It pleased Jehovah, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.

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 delivers, for a spoil, and none says, Restore.

23 Who is there among you that will give ear to this, that will hearken and hear for the time to come?

24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not Jehovah? He against whom we have sinned, and in whose ways they would not walk, nor were they obedient to his law.

25 Therefore he poured upon him the fierceness of his anger, and the strength of battle. And it set him on fire round about, yet he knew not. And it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.