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42 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.
He shall not cry, nor lift up,
nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed shall he not break,
and the smoking flax shall he not quench:
he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
He shall not fail nor be discouraged,
till he have set judgment in the earth:
and the isles shall wait for his law.

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:
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;
to open the blind eyes,
to bring out the prisoners from the prison,
and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
I am the Lord: that is my name:
and my glory will I not give to another,
neither my praise to graven images.
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 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 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 unto the Lord,
and declare his praise in the islands.
13 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 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 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 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 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, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
19 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, but thou observest not;
opening the ears, but he heareth not.
21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake;
he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
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.
23 Who among you will give ear to this?
who will hearken and hear 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?
for they would not walk in his ways,
neither were they obedient unto his law.
25 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.

The Servant of the Lord

42 “Behold! (A)My Servant whom I uphold,
My [a]Elect One in whom My soul (B)delights!
(C)I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.
He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,
Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed He will not break,
And [b]smoking flax He will not [c]quench;
He will bring forth justice for truth.
He will not fail nor be discouraged,
Till He has established justice in the earth;
(D)And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

Thus says God the Lord,
(E)Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it,
(F)Who gives breath to the people on it,
And spirit to those who walk on it:
“I,(G) the Lord, have called You in righteousness,
And will hold Your hand;
I will keep You (H)and give You as a covenant to the people,
As (I)a light to the Gentiles,
(J)To open blind eyes,
To (K)bring out prisoners from the prison,
Those who sit in (L)darkness from the prison house.
I am the Lord, that is My name;
And My (M)glory I will not give to another,
Nor My praise to carved images.
Behold, the former things have come to pass,
And new things I declare;
Before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

Praise to the Lord

10 (N)Sing to the Lord a new song,
And His praise from the ends of the earth,
(O)You who go down to the sea, and [d]all that is in it,
You coastlands and you inhabitants of them!
11 Let the wilderness and its cities 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 the Lord,
And declare His praise in the coastlands.
13 The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man;
He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war.
He shall cry out, (P)yes, shout aloud;
He shall prevail against His enemies.

Promise of the Lord’s Help

14 “I have held My peace a long time,
I have been still and restrained Myself.
Now I will cry like a woman in [e]labor,
I will pant and gasp at once.
15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills,
And dry up all their vegetation;
I will make the rivers coastlands,
And I will dry up the pools.
16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know;
I will lead them in paths they have not known.
I will make darkness light before them,
And crooked places straight.
These things I will do for them,
And not forsake them.
17 They shall be (Q)turned back,
They shall be greatly ashamed,
Who trust in carved images,
Who say to the molded images,
‘You are our gods.’

18 “Hear, you deaf;
And look, you blind, that you may see.
19 (R)Who is blind but My servant,
Or deaf as My messenger whom I send?
Who is blind as he who is perfect,
And blind as the Lord’s servant?
20 Seeing many things, (S)but you do not observe;
Opening the ears, but he does not hear.”

Israel’s Obstinate Disobedience

21 The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake;
He will exalt the law and make it honorable.
22 But this is a people robbed and plundered;
All of them are [f]snared in holes,
And they are hidden in prison houses;
They are for prey, and no one delivers;
For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!”

23 Who among you will give ear to this?
Who will listen and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers?
Was it not the Lord,
He against whom we have sinned?
(T)For they would not walk in His ways,
Nor were they obedient to His law.
25 Therefore He has poured on him the fury of His anger
And the strength of battle;
(U)It has set him on fire all around,
(V)Yet he did not know;
And it burned him,
Yet he did not take it to (W)heart.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 42:1 Chosen
  2. Isaiah 42:3 dimly burning
  3. Isaiah 42:3 extinguish
  4. Isaiah 42:10 Lit. its fullness
  5. Isaiah 42:14 childbirth
  6. Isaiah 42:22 Or trapped in caves

The Servant of the Lord

42 Here is My servant, whom I uphold,
    My chosen one, in whom My soul delights.
I have put My Spirit upon him;
    he shall bring forth justice to the nations.
He shall not cry out, nor lift up his voice,
    nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
A bruised reed he shall not break,
    and the smoking flax he shall not quench;
he shall bring forth justice faithfully.
    He shall not be disheartened nor be discouraged,
until he has set justice in the earth;
    and the coastlands shall wait for his law.

Thus says God the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
    who spread forth the earth and that which comes out of it,
who gives breath to the people on it,
    and spirit to those who walk in it:
I the Lord have called You in righteousness,
    and will hold Your hand,
and will keep You and appoint You
    for a covenant of the people,
    for a light of the nations,
to open the blind eyes,
    to bring out the prisoners from the prison,
    and those who sit in darkness out of the prison house.

I am the Lord, that is My name;
    and My glory I will not give to another,
    nor My praise to graven images.
See, the former things have come to pass,
    and new things I declare;
before they spring forth
    I tell you of them.

A Song of Praise

10 Sing to the Lord a new song,
    and His praise from the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
    the coastlands, and the inhabitants.
11 Let the wilderness and the cities lift up their voices,
    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 the Lord,
    and declare His praise in the islands.
13 The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man;
    He shall stir up zeal like a man of war.
He shall cry out, yes, raise a war cry;
    He shall prevail against His enemies.

The Lord’s Help Is Promised

14 I have for a long time held My peace;
    I have been still and refrained Myself.
Now I will cry like a travailing woman;
    I will destroy and devour at once.
15 I will lay waste mountains and hills
    and dry up all their vegetation,
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 did not know;
    I will lead them in paths that they have not known.
I will make darkness light before them
    and crooked things straight.
These things I will do for them
    and not forsake them.
17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed,
    who trust in graven images,
    who say to the molded images, “You are our gods.”

Israel’s Disobedience

18 Hear, you deaf;
    look, you blind, that you may see.
19 Who is blind, but My servant?
    Or deaf, as My messenger whom I sent?
Who is blind as he who is at peace with Me,
    and blind as the servant of the Lord?
20 You have seen many things, but you do not observe them;
    your ears are open, but no one hears.
21 The Lord is well pleased
    for His righteousness’ sake
    to magnify the law and make it honorable.
22 But this is a people robbed and despoiled;
    they are all snared in holes,
    and they are hidden in prison houses;
they are for a prey,
    and no one delivers,
for a spoil,
    and no one says, “Restore them.”

23 Who among you will give ear to this?
    Who will listen and hear for the time to come?
24 Who gave up Jacob as spoil,
    and Israel to the robbers?
Did not the Lord,
    against whom we have sinned?
For they would not walk in His ways,
    nor were they obedient to His law.
25 Therefore, He has poured on him the fury of His anger
    and the strength of battle;
and it has set him on fire all around, yet he did not recognize it;
    and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

El Siervo del Señor

42 »¡Aquí está mi siervo, mi escogido, en quien me complazco!(A) Yo lo sostengo; sobre él reposa mi espíritu. Él traerá la justicia a las naciones. No gritará ni levantará la voz; no se hará oír en las calles. No hará pedazos la caña quebrada, ni apagará la mecha humeante. Traerá la justicia por medio de la verdad. No se cansará ni se fatigará hasta que haya establecido la justicia en la tierra; las costas esperarán sus enseñanzas.(B)

Así dice Dios el Señor, el que ha creado los cielos y los despliega, el que extiende la tierra y lo que ella produce; el que infunde su aliento en el pueblo que la habita(C) y da de su espíritu a quienes la recorren:

«Yo soy el Señor. Yo te he llamado en el momento justo, y te sostendré por la mano; yo te protegeré, y tú serás mi pacto con el pueblo y una luz para las naciones.(D) Quiero que abras los ojos de los ciegos, que saques de la cárcel a los presos, y de sus calabozos a los que viven en tinieblas. Yo soy el Señor. Éste es mi nombre, y no daré a otro mi gloria, ni mi alabanza a esculturas. Como pueden ver, los primeros acontecimientos se han cumplido, y ahora les anuncio nuevos acontecimientos; yo se los hago saber antes de que ocurran.»

Alabanza por la poderosa liberación del Señor

10 ¡Canten al Señor un cántico nuevo! ¡Que lo alaben desde los extremos de la tierra todos los que se hacen a la mar, y todo lo que hay en sus aguas; todas las costas y sus habitantes! 11 ¡Que eleven su voz el desierto y sus ciudades, las aldeas donde habita Cedar! ¡Que canten los habitantes de Sela! ¡Que lancen gritos de júbilo desde la cumbre de los montes! 12 ¡Que se glorifique al Señor! ¡Que se anuncien en las costas sus loores! 13 El Señor se levanta como un gigante; despierta enojo, como un guerrero. Grita y deja oír su voz; ¡arremete con fuerza contra sus enemigos!

14 «Desde hace mucho tiempo me he callado. He guardado silencio; me he contenido. Pero ahora voy a gritar como una parturienta; a un mismo tiempo voy a gruñir y jadear. 15 Haré un desierto de los montes y las colinas; secaré toda su hierba. Convertiré los ríos en islas, y dejaré secos los manantiales. 16 Llevaré a los ciegos por caminos que nunca conocieron; les haré recorrer sendas para ellos desconocidas. A su paso cambiaré en luz las tinieblas, y allanaré los caminos torcidos. Todo esto haré por ellos, y no los desampararé; 17 pero emprenderán la huida en completa vergüenza los que confían en los ídolos, los que dicen a las imágenes fundidas: “Ustedes son nuestros dioses.”

Israel no aprende

18 »Ustedes los sordos, oigan; y ustedes los ciegos, abran los ojos y vean: 19 ¿Quién es ciego, sino mi siervo? ¿Quién es sordo como el mensajero que envié? ¿Quién es ciego como mi escogido, como el siervo del Señor? 20 Mi siervo ve muchas cosas, pero no las mira; abre los oídos, pero no oye nada.»

21 El Señor es justo, y por eso quiso honrar y engrandecer sus enseñanzas; 22 pero éste es un pueblo saqueado y pisoteado; todos ellos se esconden en cavernas y se refugian en las cárceles; son expuestos al despojo, y no hay quien los libre; se les despoja, y no hay quien los defienda.

23 ¿Quién de ustedes prestará oído a esto? ¿Quién pondrá atención para escuchar lo que está por venir? 24 ¿Quién dio a Jacob como botín? ¿Quién entregó a Israel a los saqueadores? ¡Fue el Señor mismo, contra quien pecamos, pues no quisimos andar en sus caminos ni prestamos atención a sus enseñanzas!

25 Por eso él derramó sobre nosotros el ardor de su ira y el furor de la batalla; por eso nos envolvió en fuego y nos consumió. Pero nosotros no entendimos; no quisimos hacer caso.