Isaiah 49:1-9

The Servant of the Lord

1 Listen to me, aO coastlands,
and give attention, you peoples bfrom afar.
cThe Lord called me from the womb,
from the body of my mother he named my name.
2 dHe made my mouth like a sharp sword;
ein the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow;
in his quiver he hid me away.
3And he said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, fin whom I will be glorified.”
Or  I will display my beauty

4 hBut I said, “I have labored in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my right is with the Lord,
and my recompense with my God.”
5 iAnd now the Lord says,
he jwho formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him;
and that Israel might be gathered to him—
for kI am honored in the eyes of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength
6he says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
lI will make you mas a light for the nations,
that nmy salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
7 Thus says the Lord,
othe Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
pto one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,
the servant of rulers:
qKings shall see and arise;
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

The Restoration of Israel

8 Thus says the Lord:
r“In a stime of favor I have answered you;
in a day of salvation I have helped you;
I will keep you tand give you
as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
uto apportion the desolate heritages,
9 vsaying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’
to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’
wThey shall feed along the ways;
on all bare heights shall be their pasture;
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