Focused Passage

Isaiah 50:1-3

The Obedient Servant Trusts the LORD While Zion Is Called to Walk in His Light

From the LORD’s legal challenge against claims of abandonment, to proof of his redeeming power, to the Servant’s instructed obedience and suffering, to the Servant’s confidence in divine vindication, to a final summons separating those who trust the LORD from those who walk by their own fire.

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

1This is what the LORD says: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.

2Why was no one there when I arrived? Why did no one answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem you? Or do I lack the strength to deliver you? Behold, My rebuke dries up the sea; I turn the rivers into a desert; the fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.

3I clothe the heavens in black and make sackcloth their covering.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

This is whatכֹּ֣ה׀H3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֗הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularWhereאֵ֣יH335Interrogative. . .זֶ֠הH2088Pronoun - masculine singularis your mother’sאִמְּכֶם֙H517Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine pluralcertificateסֵ֣פֶרH5612Noun - masculine singular constructof divorceכְּרִית֤וּתH3748Noun - feminine singular constructwith whichאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativeI sent her awayשִׁלַּחְתִּ֔יהָH7971Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singularOrא֚וֹH176Conjunctionto whichמִ֣יH4310Interrogativeof My creditorsמִנּוֹשַׁ֔יH5383Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativedid I sell youמָכַ֥רְתִּיH4376Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular-אֶתְכֶ֖םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine pluralLookהֵ֤ןH2005Interjectionyou were soldנִמְכַּרְתֶּ֔םH4376Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine pluralfor your iniquitiesבַּעֲוֺנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙H5771Preposition-b | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine pluraland for your transgressionsוּבְפִשְׁעֵיכֶ֖םH6588Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralyour motherאִמְּכֶֽם׃H517Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine pluralwas sent awayשֻׁלְּחָ֥הH7971Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 2

Original words

Whyמַדּ֨וּעַH4069Interrogativewas noוְאֵ֣יןH369Conjunctive waw | Adverbone thereאִ֗ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularwhen I arrivedבָּ֜אתִיH935Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularWhy did no oneוְאֵ֣יןH369Conjunctive waw | Adverbanswerעוֹנֶה֒H6030Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularwhen I calledקָרָֽאתִי֮H7121Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularIs My handיָדִי֙H3027Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singulartoo shortהֲקָצ֨וֹרH7114Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute. . .קָצְרָ֤הH7114Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularto redeem youמִפְּד֔וּתH6304Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singularOrוְאִם־H518Conjunctiondo I lackאֵֽין־H369Adverbthe strengthכֹ֖חַH3581Noun - masculine singularto deliver youלְהַצִּ֑ילH5337Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructBeholdהֵ֣ןH2005InterjectionMy rebukeבְּגַעֲרָתִ֞יH1606Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singulardries upאַחֲרִ֣יבH2717Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singularthe seaיָ֗םH3220Noun - masculine singularI turn the riversנְהָרוֹת֙H5104Noun - masculine pluralintoאָשִׂ֤יםH7760Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singulara desertמִדְבָּ֔רH4057Noun - masculine singularthe fishדְּגָתָם֙H1710Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralrotתִּבְאַ֤שׁH887Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularfor lackמֵאֵ֣יןH369Preposition-m | Adverbof waterמַ֔יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluraland dieוְתָמֹ֖תH4191Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singularof thirstבַּצָּמָֽא׃H6772Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

I clotheאַלְבִּ֥ישׁH3847Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singularthe heavensשָׁמַ֖יִםH8064Noun - masculine pluralin blackקַדְר֑וּתH6940Noun - feminine singularand makeאָשִׂ֥יםH7760Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularsackclothוְשַׂ֖קH8242Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singulartheir coveringכְּסוּתָֽם׃סH3682Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural

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.