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The Lord’s Servant Commissioned

49 Listen to me, all you in distant lands!
    Pay attention, you who are far away!
The Lord called me before my birth;
    from within the womb he called me by name.
He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword.
    He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand.
    I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver.

He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel,
    and you will bring me glory.”

I replied, “But my work seems so useless!
    I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose.
Yet I leave it all in the Lord’s hand;
    I will trust God for my reward.”

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Yahweh’s Servant Brings Salvation

49 Listen to me, coastlands,
    and listen attentively, peoples from far away!
Yahweh called me from the womb;
    from the body[a] of my mother he made my name known.
And he made[b] my mouth like a sharp sword;
    he hid me in the shadow of his hand,
and he made[c] me like an sharpened arrow;
    he hid me in his quiver.
And he said to me, “You are my servant,
    Israel, in whom I will show my glory.”
But[d] I myself said, “I have labored in[e] vain;
    I have used up my strength for nothing and vanity!
Nevertheless, my justice is with Yahweh,
    and my reward is with my God.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 49:1 Literally “intestines”
  2. Isaiah 49:2 Literally “put”
  3. Isaiah 49:2 Literally “put”
  4. Isaiah 49:4 Or “And”
  5. Isaiah 49:4 Or “for”