Isa 42:1-7 | NETfull | STEP | “Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I take pleasure. I have placed my spirit on him; he will make just decrees for the nations.

Isaiah 42:1-7

1 ^{▼▼ Verses 1–7 contain the first of Isaiah’s “servant songs,” which describe the ministry of a special, ideal servant who accomplishes God’s purposes for Israel and the nations. This song depicts the servant as a just king who brings justice to the earth and relief for the oppressed. The other songs appear in 49:1–13; 50:4–11; and 52:13–53:12.} “Here is my servant whom I support,
my chosen one in whom I take pleasure.
I have placed my spirit on him;
he will make just decrees ^{▼▼ Heb “he will bring out justice” (cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV).} for the nations. ^{▼▼ Like the ideal king portrayed in Isa 11:1–9, the servant is energized by the divine spirit and establishes justice on the earth.}
2 He will not cry out or shout;
he will not publicize himself in the streets. ^{▼▼ Heb “he will not cause his voice to be heard in the street.”}
3 A crushed reed he will not break,
a dim wick he will not extinguish; ^{▼▼ The “crushed reed” and “dim wick” symbolize the weak and oppressed who are on the verge of extinction.}
he will faithfully make just decrees. ^{▼▼ Heb “faithfully he will bring out justice” (cf. NASB, NRSV).}
4 He will not grow dim or be crushed ^{▼▼ For rhetorical effect the terms used to describe the “crushed (רָצַץ, ratsats) reed” and “dim (כָּהָה, kahah) wick” in v. 3 are repeated here.}
before establishing justice on the earth;
the coastlands ^{▼▼ Or “islands” (NIV); NLT “distant lands beyond the sea.”} will wait in anticipation for his decrees.” ^{▼▼ Or “his law” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NIV) or “his instruction” (NLT).}
5 This is what the true God, ^{▼▼ Heb “the God.” The definite article here indicates distinctiveness or uniqueness.} the Lord, says –
the one who created the sky and stretched it out,
the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it, ^{▼▼ Heb “and its offspring” (so NASB); NIV “all that comes out of it.”}
the one who gives breath to the people on it,
and life to those who live on it: ^{▼▼ Heb “and spirit [i.e., “breath”] to the ones walking in it” (NAB, NASB, and NRSV all similar).}
6 “I, the Lord, officially commission you; ^{▼▼ Heb “call you in righteousness.” The pronoun “you” is masculine singular, referring to the servant. See the note at 41:2.}
I take hold of your hand.
I protect you ^{▼▼ The translation assumes the verb is derived from the root נָצַר (natsar, “protect”). Some prefer to derive it from the root יָצַר (yatsar, “form”).} and make you a covenant mediator for people, ^{▼▼ Heb “a covenant of people.” A person cannot literally be a covenant; בְּרִית (b^erit) is probably metonymic here, indicating a covenant mediator. The precise identity of עָם (’am, “people”) is uncertain. In v. 5 עָם refers to mankind, and the following reference to “nations” also favors this. But in 49:8, where the phrase בְּרִית עָם occurs again, Israel seems to be in view.}
and a light ^{▼▼ Light here symbolizes deliverance from bondage and oppression; note the parallelism in 49:6b and in 51:4–6.} to the nations, ^{▼▼ Or “the Gentiles” (so KJV, ASV, NIV); the same Hebrew word can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles” depending on the context.}
7 to open blind eyes, ^{▼▼ This does not refer to literal physical healing of the blind. As the next two lines suggest, this refers metonymically to freeing captives from their dark prisons where their eyes have grown unaccustomed to light.}
to release prisoners ^{▼▼ This does not refer to hardened, dangerous criminals, who would have been executed for their crimes in ancient Near Eastern society. This verse refers to political prisoners or victims of social injustice.} from dungeons,
those who live in darkness from prisons.