Isaiah 42

1 Lo, My servant, I take hold on him, My chosen one — My soul hath accepted, I have put My Spirit upon him, Judgment to nations he bringeth forth.

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.

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

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

3 A bruised reed he breaketh not, And dim flax he quencheth not, To truth he bringeth forth judgment.

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

4 He doth not become weak nor bruised, Till he setteth judgment in the earth, And for his law isles wait with hope.

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

5 Thus said God, Jehovah, preparing The heavens, and stretching them out, Spreading out the earth and its productions, Giving breath to the people on it, And spirit to those walking in it.

Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and expanded them; he that spread forth the earth, and that which it produceth; he that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein.

6 I, Jehovah, did call thee in righteousness, And I lay hold on thy hand, and keep thee, And I give thee for a covenant of a people, And a light of nations.

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;

7 To open the eyes of the blind, To bring forth from prison the bound one, From the house of restraint those sitting in darkness.

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] Jehovah, this [is] My name, And Mine honour to another I give not, Nor My praise to graven 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 The former things, lo, have come, And new things I am declaring, Before they spring up I cause you to hear.

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

10 Sing to Jehovah a new song, His praise from the end of the earth, Ye who are going down to the sea, and its fulness, Isles, and their inhabitants.

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.

11 The wilderness and its cities do lift up [the voice], The villages Kedar doth inhabit, Sing do the inhabitants of Sela, From the top of mountains they cry.

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.

12 They ascribe to Jehovah honour, And His praise in the isles they declare.

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

13 Jehovah as a mighty one goeth forth. As a man of war He stirreth up zeal, He crieth, yea, He shrieketh, Against His enemies He showeth Himself mighty.

The LORD will go forth as a mighty man, he will stir up jealousy like a man of war: he will cry, yes, roar; he will prevail against his enemies.

14 I have kept silent from of old, I keep silent, I refrain myself, As a travailing woman I cry out, I desolate and swallow up together.

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.

15 I make waste mountains and hills, And all their herbs I dry up, And I have made rivers become isles, And ponds I dry up.

I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers [to be] islands, and I will dry up the pools.

16 And I have caused the blind to go, In a way they have not known, In paths they have not known I cause them to tread, I make a dark place before them become light, And unlevelled places become a plain, These [are] the things I have done to them, And I have not forsaken 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 for them, and not forsake them.

17 Removed backward — utterly ashamed, Are those trusting in a graven image, Those saying to a molten image, 'Ye [are] our gods.'

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 Ye deaf, hear; and ye blind, look to see.

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

19 Who [is] blind but My servant? And deaf as My messenger I send? Who [is] blind as he who is at peace, Yea, blind, as the servant of Jehovah?

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 Seeing many things, and thou observest not, Opening ears, and he heareth not.

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

21 Jehovah hath delight for the sake of His righteousness, He magnifieth law, and maketh honourable.

The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make [it] honorable.

22 And this [is] a people seized and spoiled, Snared in holes — all of them, And in houses of restraint they were hidden, They have been for a prey, And there is no deliverer, A spoil, and none is saying, 'Restore.'

But this [is] a people robbed and pillaged; [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 among you giveth ear [to] this? Attendeth, and heareth afterwards.

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

24 Who hath given Jacob for a spoil, And Israel to the spoilers? Is it not Jehovah — He against whom we sinned? Yea, they have not been willing in His ways to walk, Nor have they hearkened to 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 to his law.

25 And He poureth on him fury, His anger, and the strength of battle, And it setteth him on fire round about, And he hath not known, And it burneth against him, and he layeth it not 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 around, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid [it] not to heart.