Isaiah 49:1
שִׁמְע֤וּ אִיִּים֙ אֵלַ֔י וְהַקְשִׁ֥יבוּ לְאֻמִּ֖ים מֵרָח֑וֹק יְהוָה֙ מִבֶּ֣טֶן קְרָאָ֔נִי מִמְּעֵ֥י אִמִּ֖י הִזְכִּ֥יר שְׁמִֽי׃
Listen, islands, to me. Pay attention, peoples of far away. YHWH, from the womb, called me; from the inward parts of my mother, He called to mind my name.
Paraphrase: Listen to me, all you peoples in far off lands! All you who dwell in the ends of the earth, I have something to tell you. YHWH, the Great King of heaven and earth called me from my youngest days and commissioned me to be His servant.
Comments:
Gesenius (p599): in all the passages concerning the servant of God in the latter half of Isaiah (Isaiah 42:1–7; 49:1–9; 50:4–10; 52:13–53:12), he is represented as the intimate friend and ambassador of God, aided by his Spirit, who is to be the restorer of the tribes of Israel, and the instructor of other nations.
Isaiah 49:2
וַיָּ֤שֶׂם פִּי֙ כְּחֶ֣רֶב חַדָּ֔ה בְּצֵ֥ל יָד֖וֹ הֶחְבִּיאָ֑נִי וַיְשִׂימֵ֙נִי֙ לְחֵ֣ץ בָּר֔וּר בְּאַשְׁפָּת֖וֹ הִסְתִּירָֽנִי׃
And He made my mouth as a sharp sword. In the shadow of His Hand, He hid me, and He made me a select arrow; in His quiver, He hid me.
Paraphrase: God had a mission for me to perform, and He equipped me for it. He gave me the ability to speak and to speak well. My words were like a sharp sword; people listened to what I said knowing they were the very words of God. Yes, I really was like that arrow which an archer keeps safely in his quiver. He knows he can depend on that arrow to fly straight and true. When he needs it, he pulls it out and steadies it with his hand. Then he sends that arrow on a mission, and it never fails.
Comments:
Edwards (p682): “In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me.” It is an Hebraism that seems to signify no more than this, viz. he hath held me, or grasped me, within his hand, as one grasps a sword or shaft in his hand. What is covered round in the grasp of the hand is said to be hid “in the shadow of the hand.” See Psalm 17:8.
Isaiah 49:3
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לִ֖י עַבְדִּי־אָ֑תָּה יִשְׂרָאֵ֕ל אֲשֶׁר־בְּךָ֖ אֶתְפָּאָֽר׃
And He said to me, “My servant you are, Israel, through whom I will get glory.”
Paraphrase: This is the commission YHWH gave to me. “Oh Israel,” He said, “You are the one who will execute on My plan; you will perform the mission. Now this is the task I am assigning you. Display My glory to all the nations!“
Comments:
Note the resumptive.
Isaiah 49:4
וַאֲנִ֤י אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ לְרִ֣יק יָגַ֔עְתִּי לְתֹ֥הוּ וְהֶ֖בֶל כֹּחִ֣י כִלֵּ֑יתִי אָכֵן֙ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה וּפְעֻלָּתִ֖י אֶת־אֱלֹהָֽי׃
Then I said, “For nothing, I have labored. For emptiness and vanity, my power is spent. Surely my justice is with YHWH and my work is with my God.
Paraphrase: Then I looked back on everything I had done and what a track record. It was terrible. I had blundered the mission in so many ways. All my work was foolishness and had done nothing to display the glory of YHWH to the nations. I see now that even with all that YHWH has given me, I do not have what it takes to complete this task. Therefore, I lay it down. I’m finished. I leave the final decision with YHWH who always acts justly.
Comments:
Isaiah 49:5
וְעַתָּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה יֹצְרִ֤י מִבֶּ֙טֶן֙ לְעֶ֣בֶד ל֔וֹ לְשׁוֹבֵ֤ב יַֽעֲקֹב֙ אֵלָ֔יו וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹא (לוֹ) יֵאָסֵ֑ף וְאֶכָּבֵד֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וֵאלֹהַ֖י הָיָ֥ה עֻזִּֽי׃
And now YHWH said, who formed me from the belly to be a servant for Him to cause Jacob to return to him and that Israel might be gathered to Him, and I will be glorified in the eyes of YHWH and God was my strength.
Paraphrase: Then YHWH spoke to me, the God who created me and equipped me for this task. He is the one who called me from my mother’s womb so that I would be His servant and perform the mission which He would give me. Yes, the mission of reconciling His people to Him, gathering them up, and bringing them back to their land, the land which He had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is the task which I was given to do and the task which I failed to accomplish. Yet for all this, I trust that YHWH will still accept me since He was the One who called and strengthened me to this task.
Comments:
I’m assuming here a modal use of the YQTL יֵאָסֵף. Otherwise, it would be translated as a future.
There is a qetiv kere reading here; see Alexander p227.
Isaiah 49:6
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר נָקֵ֨ל מִֽהְיוֹתְךָ֥ לִי֙ עֶ֔בֶד לְהָקִים֙ אֶת־שִׁבְטֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּנְצִירֵי יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהָשִׁ֑יב וּנְתַתִּ֙יךָ֙ לְא֣וֹר גּוֹיִ֔ם לִֽהְי֥וֹת יְשׁוּעָתִ֖י עַד־קְצֵ֥ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃ס
and He said, “It is light for you to be for Me a servant to cause the tribes of Jacob to rise and to cause the remnants of Israel to return? Then I will give you for a light of the nations to be, My salvation to the ends of the earth.
Paraphrase: This is what YHWH said to me. “Was the mission I assigned you too much for you? Are you discouraged because you were not able to bring My people home to their land again? Listen now; I have an announcement to make. I have another mission for you, and it’s far greater than the first. I am going to fit you out for something that you never could have imagined. I am going to make you a light for all the nations of the world. No longer will your mission be limited to Israel. No, in you, all the families of the earth will be blessed. (Genesis 12:3) You will bring the good news of My grace to the ends of the earth. Yes, you will publish far and wide that there is salvation, forgiveness, and full reconciliation to be found in Me.
Comments:
Isaiah 49:7
כֹּ֣ה אָֽמַר־יְהוָה֩ גֹּאֵ֨ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל קְדוֹשׁ֗וֹ לִבְזֹה־נֶ֜פֶשׁ לִמְתָ֤עֵֽב גּוֹי֙ לְעֶ֣בֶד מֹשְׁלִ֔ים מְלָכִים֙ יִרְא֣וּ וָקָ֔מוּ שָׂרִ֖ים וְיִֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֑וּ לְמַ֤עַן יְהוָה֙
Thus says YHWH, Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to the despised soul, to the hated of the nations, to the servant of rulers, “Kings will see and get up, princes, and they will worship on account of YHWH.
Paraphrase: Thus says YHWH, Great King of heaven and earth, “I am the Redeemer and deliverer of Israel; they are set apart for Me, My treasured possession. (Exodus 19:5) I know that you are hated by the other nations. They would like to make you their slaves, but you can dismiss that idea from your mind. On the contrary, you will see the kings and great ones of the earth rising up before Me. They will come into My presence and bow low before Me.
Comments:
Isaiah 49:8
כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה בְּעֵ֤ת רָצוֹן֙ עֲנִיתִ֔יךָ וּבְי֥וֹם יְשׁוּעָ֖ה עֲזַרְתִּ֑יךָ וְאֶצָּרְךָ֗ וְאֶתֶּנְךָ֙ לִבְרִ֣ית עָ֔ם לְהָקִ֣ים אֶ֔רֶץ לְהַנְחִ֖יל נְחָל֥וֹת שֹׁמֵמֽוֹת׃
Thus says YHWH, at a time of acceptance, I answered you; and on a day of salvation, I helped you and guarded you and gave you for a covenant of people to cause the land to rise, to inherit the inheritance of desolations.
Paraphrase: Thus says YHWH, Great King of heaven and earth, “There is a time coming when I will favor you again. You will call out to Me, and I will hear and answer. There will be a day of salvation. I will watch over you and protect you, so that you will bring my covenant of grace to My people. You will open it up to them and show them how to enter it. When they embrace this covenant, then I will bring them back to the land which I promised them as an inheritance. (Genesis 17:8; Numbers 34:2; Deuteronomy 4:21; 32:8-9; 1 Chronicles 16:18; Psalm 105:11; 135:12) They will rebuild the ruined and desolate cities and will flourish in it once again.
Comments:
“answered” and “helped” are past tense, but the NIV and NET translate them as English futures; cf Gesenius §106b.
Isaiah 49:9
לֵאמֹ֤ר לַֽאֲסוּרִים֙ צֵ֔אוּ לַאֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּחֹ֖שֶׁךְ הִגָּל֑וּ עַל־דְּרָכִ֣ים יִרְע֔וּ וּבְכָל־שְׁפָיִ֖ים מַרְעִיתָֽם׃
Saying to the prisoners, “Go forth!” To those in darkness, “Show yourself!” On the ways, they will feed and on all the high places, their pastures.
Paraphrase: You will be the One announcing to those in Babylonian bondage, “Get up; go out! You’re free!” Then You will say to those who have long since given up on ever seeing their land again, “Step up and don’t hide yourself away any longer. Come out of the shadows and stand straight and tall. Gather up your things; it’s time to start the journey back to our homeland.” Be sure to reassure them that they will not lack for food or water. I will provide for them every step of the way. Even those places which used to be so barren will now be productive and provide you with all you need.
Comments:
For לַאֲשֶׁר see p88, right column top.
Isaiah 49:10
לֹ֤א יִרְעָ֙בוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א יִצְמָ֔אוּ וְלֹא־יַכֵּ֥ם שָׁרָ֖ב וָשָׁ֑מֶשׁ כִּי־מְרַחֲמָ֣ם יְנַהֲגֵ֔ם וְעַל־מַבּ֥וּעֵי מַ֖יִם יְנַהֲלֵֽם׃
Isaiah 49:11
וְשַׂמְתִּ֥י כָל־הָרַ֖י לַדָּ֑רֶךְ וּמְסִלֹּתַ֖י יְרֻמֽוּן׃
Isaiah 49:12
הִנֵּה־אֵ֕לֶּה מֵרָח֖וֹק יָבֹ֑אוּ וְהִֽנֵּה־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ מִצָּפ֣וֹן וּמִיָּ֔ם וְאֵ֖לֶּה מֵאֶ֥רֶץ סִינִֽים׃
Isaiah 49:13
רָנּ֤וּ שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְגִ֣ילִי אָ֔רֶץ יִפְצְחוּ הָרִ֖ים רִנָּ֑ה כִּֽי־נִחַ֤ם יְהוָה֙ עַמּ֔וֹ וַעֲנִיָּ֖ו יְרַחֵֽם׃ס
Shout for joy, oh heavens! and rejoice oh land! Break forth, oh mountains. Shout for joy because YHWH comforted His people and will take pity on His afflicted.
Paraphrase: Sing for joy, oh heavens! Shout with gladness oh land! You too, mountains! Look at what YHWH, the Great King, has done. He has comforted His people and taken pity on his afflicted and oppressed people.
Comments:
Isaiah 49:14
וַתֹּ֥אמֶר צִיּ֖וֹן עֲזָבַ֣נִי יְהוָ֑ה וַאדֹנָ֖י שְׁכֵחָֽנִי׃
and Zion said, “YHWH has abandoned me, and my Lord has forgotten me.”
Paraphrase: Lay aside your grief and tears. Stop saying that YHWH has abandoned you. Lay aside this awful thought that YHWH has forgotten the covenant He made with your fathers and all the promises He has made to you over the many years. Do you really think this could happen?
Comments:
Isaiah 49:15
הֲתִשְׁכַּ֤ח אִשָּׁה֙ עוּלָ֔הּ מֵרַחֵ֖ם בֶּן־בִּטְנָ֑הּ גַּם־אֵ֣לֶּה תִשְׁכַּ֔חְנָה וְאָנֹכִ֖י לֹ֥א אֶשְׁכָּחֵֽךְ׃
Will a woman forget her nursing infant? from having compassion on the son of her womb? Also these they may forget, but I will not forget you.
Paraphrase: Can you even think of a mother abandoning her nursing infant? Is it even conceivable that a woman could give birth to a child and then walk away from him? I guess in some rare and horrifying instances, even this happens, but know this for sure. I will never abandon you even if an earthly mother might for some terrible reason do this to her newborn child. My love never fails, and I always keep My promises.
Comments:
The clause גַּם־אֵלֶּה תִשְׁכַּחְנָה is concessive. גַּם is the marker word for this; see Gesenius §160b.
Note this clause does not begin with a verb. The conjunction on the pronoun וְאָנֹכִי often marks a contrastive idea; see page 10 here.
Isaiah 49:16
הֵ֥ן עַל־כַּפַּ֖יִם חַקֹּתִ֑יךְ חוֹמֹתַ֥יִךְ נֶגְדִּ֖י תָּמִֽיד׃
Behold, on the palms, I have inscribed you; your walls are before Me always.
Paraphrase: Look at my hands; do you see what’s written there? I have cut your name into the palms of my hands. Every time I see my hands, I see your name. And do you know what else I see? I see the walls of the holy city, Jerusalem. They are burned and smashed. Those walls, once so beautiful and proud, are now a disgrace to any people. I am always thinking of the day when they will be rebuilt, and My holy city will be restored once more to its glory.
Comments:
Isa 49:17
מִֽהֲר֖וּ בָּנָ֑יִךְ מְהָֽרְסַ֥יִךְ וּמַחֲרִבַ֖יִךְ מִמֵּ֥ךְ יֵצֵֽאוּ׃
Isa 49:18
שְׂאִֽי־סָבִ֤יב עֵינַ֙יִךְ֙ וּרְאִ֔י כֻּלָּ֖ם נִקְבְּצ֣וּ בָֽאוּ־לָ֑ךְ חַי־אָ֣נִי נְאֻם־יְהוָ֗ה כִּ֤י כֻלָּם֙ כָּעֲדִ֣י תִלְבָּ֔שִׁי וּֽתְקַשְּׁרִ֖ים כַּכַּלָּֽה׃
Isa 49:19
כִּ֤י חָרְבֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ וְשֹׁ֣מְמֹתַ֔יִךְ וְאֶ֖רֶץ הֲרִֽסֻתֵ֑יךְ כִּ֤י עַתָּה֙ תֵּצְרִ֣י מִיּוֹשֵׁ֔ב וְרָחֲק֖וּ מְבַלְּעָֽיִךְ׃
Isa 49:20
ע֚וֹד יֹאמְר֣וּ בְאָזְנַ֔יִךְ בְּנֵ֖י שִׁכֻּלָ֑יִךְ צַר־לִ֥י הַמָּק֖וֹם גְּשָׁה־לִּ֥י וְאֵשֵֽׁבָה׃
Isa 49:21
וְאָמַ֣רְתְּ בִּלְבָבֵ֗ךְ מִ֤י יָֽלַד־לִי֙ אֶת־אֵ֔לֶּה וַאֲנִ֥י שְׁכוּלָ֖ה וְגַלְמוּדָ֑ה גֹּלָ֣ה׀ וְסוּרָ֗ה וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ מִ֣י גִדֵּ֔ל הֵ֤ן אֲנִי֙ נִשְׁאַ֣רְתִּי לְבַדִּ֔י אֵ֖לֶּה אֵיפֹ֥ה הֵֽם׃פ
Isa 49:22
כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה אֶשָּׂ֤א אֶל־גּוֹיִם֙ יָדִ֔י וְאֶל־עַמִּ֖ים אָרִ֣ים נִסִּ֑י וְהֵבִ֤יאוּ בָנַ֙יִךְ֙ בְּחֹ֔צֶן וּבְנֹתַ֖יִךְ עַל־כָּתֵ֥ף תִּנָּשֶֽׂאנָה׃
Isa 49:23
וְהָי֨וּ מְלָכִ֜ים אֹֽמְנַ֗יִךְ וְשָׂרֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ מֵינִ֣יקֹתַ֔יִךְ אַפַּ֗יִם אֶ֚רֶץ יִשְׁתַּ֣חֲווּ לָ֔ךְ וַעֲפַ֥ר רַגְלַ֖יִךְ יְלַחֵ֑כוּ וְיָדַ֙עַתְּ֙ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יֵבֹ֖שׁוּ קוָֹֽי׃ס
Isa 49:24 הֲיֻקַּ֥ח מִגִּבּ֖וֹר מַלְק֑וֹחַ וְאִם־שְׁבִ֥י צַדִּ֖יק יִמָּלֵֽט׃
Isa 49:25
כִּי־כֹ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה גַּם־שְׁבִ֤י גִבּוֹר֙ יֻקָּ֔ח וּמַלְק֥וֹחַ עָרִ֖יץ יִמָּלֵ֑ט וְאֶת־יְרִיבֵךְ֙ אָנֹכִ֣י אָרִ֔יב וְאֶת־בָּנַ֖יִךְ אָנֹכִ֥י אוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
Isa 49:26
וְהַאֲכַלְתִּ֤י אֶת־מוֹנַ֙יִךְ֙ אֶת־בְּשָׂרָ֔ם וְכֶעָסִ֖יס דָּמָ֣ם יִשְׁכָּר֑וּן וְיָדְע֣וּ כָל־בָּשָׂ֗ר כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ מֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֔ךְ וְגֹאֲלֵ֖ךְ אֲבִ֥יר יַעֲקֹֽב׃ס