Add parallel Print Page Options

49 Listen, islands, to me.
    Listen, you peoples, from afar:
Yahweh has called me from the womb;
    from the inside of my mother, he has mentioned my name.
He has made my mouth like a sharp sword.
    He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand.
He has made me a polished shaft.
    He has kept me close in his quiver.
He said to me, “You are my servant,
    Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
But I said, “I have labored in vain.
    I have spent my strength in vain for nothing;
yet surely the justice due to me is with Yahweh,
    and my reward with my God.”

Read full chapter

The Servant of the Lord

49 “Listen to me, you coastlands!
    Pay[a] attention, you people[b] from far away!
The Lord called me from the womb;
    while I was still in my mother’s body,
        he pronounced my name.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword;
    he hid me in the shadow of his hands.[c]
He made me like a polished arrow
    and hid me away in his quivers.[d]
He said to me: ‘You are my servant,
    Israel, in whom I will glorify myself.’

“I[e] said: ‘I’ve labored for nothing.
    I’ve exhausted my strength on futility and on[f] emptiness.’
Yet surely my recompense is with the Lord,
    and my reward is with my God.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 49:1 So 1QIsaa LXX; 1QIsab MT read and pay
  2. Isaiah 49:1 Lit. peoples; i.e. non-Israelis then in the land
  3. Isaiah 49:2 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab MT LXX read hand
  4. Isaiah 49:2 So 1QIsaa; 1QIsab 4QIsad MT LXX read quiver
  5. Isaiah 49:4 So 1QIsaa; 4QIsad MT LXX read But I
  6. Isaiah 49:4 So 1QIsaa LXX; 1QIsab MT lack on