Isaiah 42

1 “Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.

BEHOLD 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.

2 He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street.

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

3 He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice.

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

4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice in the earth, and the islands wait for his law.”

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

5 God the LORD, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it, says:

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 unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

6 “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness. I will hold your hand. I will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations,

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;

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

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. I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to engraved images.

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

9 Behold, the former things have happened and I declare new things. I tell you about them before they come up.”

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

10 Sing to the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the islands and their inhabitants.

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.

11 Let the wilderness and its cities raise their voices, with the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing. Let them shout from the top of the mountains!

Let 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.

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

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

13 The LORD will go out like a mighty man. He will stir up zeal like a man of war. He will raise a war cry. Yes, he will shout aloud. He will triumph over his enemies.

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.

14 “I have been silent a long time. I have been quiet and restrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will both gasp and pant.

I 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.

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

I 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.

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

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 unto them, and not forsake them.

17 “Those who trust in engraved images, who tell molten images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back. They will be utterly disappointed.

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.

18 “Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see.

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

19 Who is blind, but my servant? Or who is as deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is as blind as he who is at peace, and as blind as the LORD’s servant?

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?

20 You see many things, but don’t observe. His ears are open, but he doesn’t listen.

Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.

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

The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

22 But this is a robbed and plundered people. All of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prisons. They have become captives, and no one delivers, and a plunder, and no one says, ‘Restore them!’

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.

23 Who is there amongst you who will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come?

Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?

24 Who gave Jacob as plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Didn’t the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in his ways, and they disobeyed his law.

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 unto his law.

25 Therefore he poured the fierceness of his anger on him, and the strength of battle. It set him on fire all around, but he didn’t know. It burnt him, but he didn’t take it to heart.”

Therefore 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.