And now the Lord says—
    he who formed me in the womb(A) to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
    and gather Israel(B) to himself,
for I am[a] honored(C) in the eyes of the Lord
    and my God has been my strength(D)
he says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant(E)
    to restore the tribes of Jacob
    and bring back those of Israel I have kept.(F)
I will also make you a light(G) for the Gentiles,(H)
    that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”(I)

This is what the Lord says—
    the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel(J)
to him who was despised(K) and abhorred by the nation,
    to the servant of rulers:
“Kings(L) will see you and stand up,
    princes will see and bow down,(M)
because of the Lord, who is faithful,(N)
    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen(O) you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 49:5 Or him, / but Israel would not be gathered; / yet I will be

“And now, says the Lord,
    who formed you[a] from the womb as his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
    so that Israel might be gathered[b] to him—
and I am honored in the Lord’s sight
    and my God has been my help[c]
he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant,
    to raise up the tribes of Israel[d]
        and bring back those of Jacob[e] I have preserved.
I’ll also make you as a light to the nations,
    to be my salvation to the ends[f] of the earth.

“This is what my Lord[g] says—
    the Lord your Redeemer, O Israel,[h]
        and his Holy One—
to one despised by people,[i]
    to those abhorred[j] as a nation,
        to the servant of rulers:

“Kings see[k] and arise,
    and princes[l] will bow down,
because of the Lord who is faithful,
    the Holy One of Israel,
        the one who has[m] chosen you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 49:5 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX me
  2. Isaiah 49:5 So 1QIsaa MTqere LXX; 4QIsad MT might not be gathered (misspelling)
  3. Isaiah 49:5 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX strength
  4. Isaiah 49:6 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX Jacob
  5. Isaiah 49:6 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX Israel
  6. Isaiah 49:6 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX end
  7. Isaiah 49:7 So 1QIsaa 1QIsab; MT LXX lacks my Lord
  8. Isaiah 49:7 So 1QIsaa LXX; 1QIsab MT read the Redeemer of Israel
  9. Isaiah 49:7 So 1QIsaa 4QIsad; MT CaiGen LXX reads to one people despise
  10. Isaiah 49:7 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX reads one abhorred
  11. Isaiah 49:7 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT read Kings will see; LXX reads Kings will see him
  12. Isaiah 49:7 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab reads They will rise; MT LXX read princes will rise, and they
  13. Isaiah 49:7 So 1QIsaa; MT reads and the one who has; LXX reads and I have