Print Page Options

[a]The Lord God has given me
    a well-trained tongue,
That I might know how to answer the weary
    a word that will waken them.
Morning after morning
    he wakens my ear to hear as disciples do;
The Lord God opened my ear;
    I did not refuse,
    did not turn away.[b]
I gave my back to those who beat me,
    my cheeks to those who tore out my beard;[c]
My face I did not hide
    from insults and spitting.(A)

The Lord God is my help,
    therefore I am not disgraced;
Therefore I have set my face like flint,
    knowing that I shall not be put to shame.(B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 50:4–11 The third of the four “servant of the Lord” oracles (cf. note on 42:1–4); in vv. 4–9 the servant speaks; in vv. 10–11 God addresses the people directly.
  2. 50:5 The servant, like a well-trained disciple, does not refuse the divine vocation.
  3. 50:6 He willingly submits to insults and beatings. Tore out my beard: a grave and painful insult.

The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication

The Lord God has given me
    the tongue of a teacher,[a]
that I may know how to sustain
    the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
    wakens my ear
    to listen as those who are taught.
The Lord God has opened my ear,
    and I was not rebellious,
    I did not turn backward.
I gave my back to those who struck me,
    and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
    from insult and spitting.

The Lord God helps me;
    therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
    and I know that I shall not be put to shame;

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 50:4 Cn: Heb of those who are taught

The Obedience of the Lord's Servant

The Sovereign Lord has taught me what to say,
    so that I can strengthen the weary.
Every morning he makes me eager
    to hear what he is going to teach me.
The Lord has given me understanding,
    and I have not rebelled
    or turned away from him.
(A)I bared my back to those who beat me.
    I did not stop them when they insulted me,
    when they pulled out the hairs of my beard
    and spit in my face.

But their insults cannot hurt me
    because the Sovereign Lord gives me help.
I brace myself to endure them.
    I know that I will not be disgraced,

Read full chapter

The Lord [a]God has given Me the tongue of (A)disciples,
So that I may know how to (B)sustain the weary one with a word.
He awakens Me (C)morning by morning,
He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
The Lord God has (D)opened My ear,
And I was (E)not disobedient,
Nor did I turn back.
I (F)gave My back to those who strike Me,
And My cheeks to those who pull out My beard;
I did not hide My face from insults and spitting.
For the Lord God (G)helps Me,
Therefore, I am (H)not disgraced;
Therefore, I have made My face like (I)flint,
And I know that I will not be ashamed.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 50:4 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch

The Sovereign Lord(A) has given me a well-instructed tongue,(B)
    to know the word that sustains the weary.(C)
He wakens me morning by morning,(D)
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.(E)
The Sovereign Lord(F) has opened my ears;(G)
    I have not been rebellious,(H)
    I have not turned away.
I offered my back to those who beat(I) me,
    my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;(J)
I did not hide my face
    from mocking and spitting.(K)
Because the Sovereign Lord(L) helps(M) me,
    I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,(N)
    and I know I will not be put to shame.(O)

Read full chapter