Focused Passage

Isaiah 49:1-6

The Servant Restores Israel and Becomes a Light for the Nations

From the Servant’s womb-called mission, to his apparent frustration and divine vindication, to the expansion of salvation to the nations, to the restoration of prisoners and exiles, to Zion’s comfort and renewal, to the LORD’s final promise that captives will be rescued from the mighty.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1Listen to Me, O islands; pay attention, O distant peoples: The LORD called Me from the womb; from the body of My mother He named Me.

2He made My mouth like a sharp sword; He hid Me in the shadow of His hand. He made Me like a polished arrow; He hid Me in His quiver.

3He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel, in whom I will display My glory.”

4But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength in futility and vanity; yet My vindication is with the LORD, and My reward is with My God.”

5And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him—for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength—

6He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Listenשִׁמְע֤וּH8085Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralto Meאֵלַ֔יH413Preposition | first person common singularO islandsאִיִּים֙H339Noun - masculine pluralpay attentionוְהַקְשִׁ֥יבוּH7181Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine pluralO distantמֵרָח֑וֹקH7350Preposition-m | Adjective - masculine singularpeoplesלְאֻמִּ֖יםH3816Noun - masculine pluralThe LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularcalled Meקְרָאָ֔נִיH7121Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singularfrom the wombמִבֶּ֣טֶןH990Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singularfrom the bodyמִמְּעֵ֥יH4578Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural constructof My motherאִמִּ֖יH517Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularHe named Meהִזְכִּ֥ירH2142Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular. . .שְׁמִֽי׃H8034Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • Or coastlands
Verse 2

Original words

He madeוַיָּ֤שֶׂםH7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularMy mouthפִּי֙H6310Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularlike a sharpחַדָּ֔הH2299Adjective - feminine singularswordכְּחֶ֣רֶבH2719Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singularHe hid Meהֶחְבִּיאָ֑נִיH2244Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singularin the shadowבְּצֵ֥לH6738Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructof His handיָד֖וֹH3027Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularHe made Meוַיְשִׂימֵ֙נִי֙H7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singularlike a polishedבָּר֔וּרH1305Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singulararrowלְחֵ֣ץH2671Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularHe hid Meהִסְתִּירָֽנִי׃H5641Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singularin His quiverבְּאַשְׁפָּת֖וֹH827Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

He saidוַיֹּ֥אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto Meלִ֖יPreposition | first person common singularYouאָ֑תָּהH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularare My Servantעַבְדִּי־H5650Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵ֕לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularin whomאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeI will display My gloryאֶתְפָּאָֽר׃H6286Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - first person common singular
Verse 4

Original words

But Iוַאֲנִ֤יH589Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularsaidאָמַ֙רְתִּי֙H559Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularI have laboredיָגַ֔עְתִּיH3021Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularin vainלְרִ֣יקH7385Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularI have spentכִלֵּ֑יתִיH3615Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singularMy strengthכֹּחִ֣יH3581Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularin futilityלְתֹ֥הוּH8414Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularand vanityוְהֶ֖בֶלH1892Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularyetאָכֵן֙H403AdverbMy vindicationמִשְׁפָּטִ֣יH4941Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularis withאֶת־H854Prepositionthe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand My rewardוּפְעֻלָּתִ֖יH6468Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularis withאֶת־H854PrepositionMy Godאֱלֹהָֽי׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 5

Original words

And nowוְעַתָּ֣ה׀H6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbsaysאָמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularthe LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwho formed Meיֹצְרִ֤יH3335Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common singularfrom the wombמִבֶּ֙טֶן֙H990Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singularto be His Servantלְעֶ֣בֶדH5650Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularto bring Jacobיַֽעֲקֹב֙H3290Noun - proper - masculine singularbackלְשׁוֹבֵ֤בH7725Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructto Himאֵלָ֔יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularthat Israelוְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לֹאH3808Preposition | third person masculine singularmight be gathered to Himיֵאָסֵ֑ףH622Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfor I am honoredוְאֶכָּבֵד֙H3513Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singularin the sightבְּעֵינֵ֣יH5869Preposition-b | Noun - cdcof the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand My Godוֵאלֹהַ֖יH430Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularisהָיָ֥הH1961Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularMy strengthעֻזִּֽי׃H5797Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 6

Original words

He saysוַיֹּ֗אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularIt is not enoughנָקֵ֨לH7043Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularfor You to beמִֽהְיוֹתְךָ֥H1961Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularMyלִי֙Preposition | first person common singularServantעֶ֔בֶדH5650Noun - masculine singularto raise upלְהָקִים֙H6965Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe tribesשִׁבְטֵ֣יH7626Noun - masculine plural constructof Jacobיַעֲקֹ֔בH3290Noun - proper - masculine singularand to restoreלְהָשִׁ֑יבH7725Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructthe protectedוּנְצִירֵיH5336Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural constructones of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularI will also makeוּנְתַתִּ֙יךָ֙H5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singularYou a lightלְא֣וֹרH216Preposition-l | Noun - common singular constructfor the nationsגּוֹיִ֔םH1471Noun - masculine pluralto bringלִֽהְי֥וֹתH1961Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructMy salvationיְשׁוּעָתִ֖יH3444Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singulartoעַד־H5704Prepositionthe endsקְצֵ֥הH7097Noun - masculine singular constructof the earthהָאָֽרֶץ׃סH776Article | Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Acts 13:47

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.