Isaiah 42

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, My chosen, in whom my soul delighteth, I have put my spirit upon him; He shall cause law to go forth to the nations.

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

He shall not cry aloud, nor lift up his voice, Nor cause it to be heard in the street.

3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment in truth.

The bruised reed shall he not break, And the glimmering flax shall he not quench; He shall send forth law according to truth.

4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law.

He shall not fail, nor become weary, Until he shall have established justice in the earth. And distant nations shall wait for his law.

5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them forth; he that spread abroad 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:

Thus saith God Jehovah, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth, and that which springeth forth from it, Who gave breath to the people upon it, And spirit to them that walk thereon:

6 I 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;

I, Jehovah, have called thee for salvation; I will hold thee by the hand; I will defend thee, and make thee a covenant to the people, A light to the nations;

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

To open the blind eyes, To bring out the prisoners from the prison, And them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house.

8 I am the LORD; that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise unto graven images.

I am Jehovah, that is my name; And my glory will I not give to another, Nor my praise to graven images.

9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

The former things, behold! they are come to pass, And new things do I now declare; Before they spring forth, I make them known to you.

10 Sing 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.

Sing to Jehovah a new song; His praise to the ends of the earth; Ye that go down upon the sea, and all that fill it; Ye distant coasts, and ye that dwell therein!

11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up [their voice], the villages that Kedar doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of Sela sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

Let the desert cry aloud, and the cities thereof; The villages, that Kedar inhabiteth; Let the inhabitants of the rock sing; Let them shout from the top of the mountains!

12 Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.

Let them give glory to Jehovah, And proclaim his praise in distant lands!

13 The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man; he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, he shall shout aloud; he shall do mightily against his enemies.

Jehovah shall march forth like a hero; Like a mighty warrior shall he rouse his indignation, He shall cry aloud; he shall shout the war-cry, And show himself mighty against his enemies.

14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: [now] will I cry out like a travailing woman; I will gasp and pant together.

“I have long held my peace; I have been still and refrained myself; But now will I cry like a woman in travail; I will destroy and swallow up at once.

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

I will lay waste mountains and hills, And dry up all their herbs. I will make the river solid land, And dry up the pools of water.

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

Then will I lead the blind in a way which they know not, And in unknown paths will I guide them; I will make darkness light before them, And crooked paths straight; These things will I do for them, and not forsake them.”

17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say unto molten images, Ye are our gods.

Then shall they be turned back, and be 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.

Hear, O ye deaf! And look, ye blind, and see!

19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I send? who is blind as he that is at peace [with me], and blind as the LORD’S servant?

Who is blind, if not my servant? And who so deaf as my messenger, whom I send? Who so blind as the friend of God, So blind as the servant of Jehovah?

20 Thou seest many things, but thou observest not; his ears are open, but he heareth not.

Thou seest many things, but regardest them not; Thou hast thine ears open, but hearest not!

21 It pleased the LORD, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify the law, and make it honourable.

It pleased Jehovah for his goodness' sake To give him a law, great and glorious;

22 But 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.

And yet it is a robbed and plundered people; They are all of them bound in prisons, And hid in dungeons; They have become a spoil, and none delivereth; A prey, and none saith, “Restore!”

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

Who is there among you that will give ear to this, That will listen and attend for the time to come?

24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD? he against whom we have sinned, and in whose ways they would not walk, neither were they obedient unto his law.

Who gave Jacob to be a spoil, And Israel to plunderers? Was it not Jehovah, against whom we sinned, In whose ways we would not walk, And whose laws we would not obey?

25 Therefore he poured upon him the fury 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.

Therefore hath he poured out upon Israel the fury of his wrath, and the violence of war; It kindled a flame around about him, yet he did not regard it; It set him on fire, yet he laid it not to heart.