Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience

50 Thus says the Lord:
“Where is (A)your mother's certificate of divorce,
    with which (B)I sent her away?
Or (C)which of my creditors is it
    to whom I have sold you?
(D)Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,
    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
(E)Why, when I came, was there no man;
    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?
(F)Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?
    Or have I no power to deliver?
(G)Behold, by my rebuke (H)I dry up the sea,
    (I)I make the rivers a desert;
(J)their fish stink for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
(K)I clothe the heavens with blackness
    and make sackcloth their covering.”

The Lord God has given (L)me
    the tongue of those who are taught,
that (M)I may know how to sustain with a word
    (N)him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
    he awakens my ear
    to hear as those who are taught.
(O)The Lord God has opened my ear,
    (P)and I was not rebellious;
    I turned not backward.
(Q)I gave my back to those who strike,
    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
    from disgrace and spitting.

But the Lord God helps me;
    therefore I have not been disgraced;
(R)therefore I have set my face like a flint,
    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
    (S)He who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
    Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
    Let him come near to me.
(T)Behold, the Lord God helps me;
    who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;
    the moth will eat them up.

10 Who among you fears the Lord
    and obeys (U)the voice of his servant?
(V)Let him who walks in darkness
    and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
    and rely on his God.
11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
    who equip yourselves with burning torches!
Walk by the light of your fire,
    and by the torches that you have kindled!
(W)This you have from my hand:
    you shall lie down in torment.

50 Thus says Yahweh:

“Where is this divorce document of your mother’s divorce, with which I dismissed her?
    or to whom of my creditors did I sell you?
Look! you were sold because of your sin,
    and your mother was dismissed because of your transgressions.
Why was there no man when I came,
    no one who answered when I called?
Do I lack the strength to save?[a]
    Or is there no power in me to deliver?
Look! by my rebuke I dry up the sea;
    I make[b] the rivers a desert;
their fish stink because there is no water,
    and they[c] die because of thirst.
I clothe the heavens with darkness,
    and I make[d] their covering sackcloth.”

The Servant’s Vindication

The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of a pupil,
    to know how to help the weary with a word.
He awakens morning by morning,[e]
    awakens an ear for me to listen as do the pupils.
The Lord Yahweh has opened an ear for me,
    and I, I was not rebellious.
I did not turn backwards;
    I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;[f]
    I did not hide my face from insults and spittle.

And the Lord Yahweh helps me,

therefore I have not been put to shame;
    therefore I have set my face like flint.
And I know that I shall not be ashamed;
    he who obtains rights for me is near.
Who will contend with me? Let us stand together.
    Who is the master of my judgment? Let him approach me.
Look! The Lord Yahweh helps me.
    Who is the one who will declare me guilty?
Look! All of them will be worn out like a garment;
    the moth will eat them.
10 Who among you is in fear of Yahweh,
    obeys[g] the voice of his servant?
Who walks in darkness
    and has no light,
trusts in the name of Yahweh
    and depends on his God?
11 Look! All of you are kindlers of fire,
    who gird yourselves with flaming arrows.
Walk in the light of your fire,
    and among the flaming arrows you have kindled!
You shall have this from my hand:
    you shall lie down in[h] a place of torment.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 50:2 Literally “short is short my hand from redemption”
  2. Isaiah 50:2 Literally “put”
  3. Isaiah 50:2 Hebrew “she”
  4. Isaiah 50:3 Literally “put”
  5. Isaiah 50:4 Literally “in the morning in the morning”
  6. Isaiah 50:6 Literally “face”
  7. Isaiah 50:10 Or “listens”
  8. Isaiah 50:11 Or “to”

Israel’s Sin and the Servant’s Obedience

50 This is what the Lord says:

“Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce(A)
    with which I sent her away?
Or to which of my creditors
    did I sell(B) you?
Because of your sins(C) you were sold;(D)
    because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
When I came, why was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?(E)
Was my arm too short(F) to deliver you?
    Do I lack the strength(G) to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke(H) I dry up the sea,(I)
    I turn rivers into a desert;(J)
their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
I clothe the heavens with darkness(K)
    and make sackcloth(L) its covering.”

The Sovereign Lord(M) has given me a well-instructed tongue,(N)
    to know the word that sustains the weary.(O)
He wakens me morning by morning,(P)
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.(Q)
The Sovereign Lord(R) has opened my ears;(S)
    I have not been rebellious,(T)
    I have not turned away.
I offered my back to those who beat(U) me,
    my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;(V)
I did not hide my face
    from mocking and spitting.(W)
Because the Sovereign Lord(X) helps(Y) me,
    I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,(Z)
    and I know I will not be put to shame.(AA)
He who vindicates(AB) me is near.(AC)
    Who then will bring charges against me?(AD)
    Let us face each other!(AE)
Who is my accuser?
    Let him confront me!
It is the Sovereign Lord(AF) who helps(AG) me.
    Who will condemn(AH) me?
They will all wear out like a garment;
    the moths(AI) will eat them up.

10 Who among you fears(AJ) the Lord
    and obeys(AK) the word of his servant?(AL)
Let the one who walks in the dark,
    who has no light,(AM)
trust(AN) in the name of the Lord
    and rely on their God.
11 But now, all you who light fires
    and provide yourselves with flaming torches,(AO)
go, walk in the light of your fires(AP)
    and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:(AQ)
    You will lie down in torment.(AR)