THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
ISAIAH
Isaiah 42 ©
A prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah, and what His office is, v. 1. How He shall demean Himself in it, 2. The assistance which the Lord shall give Him, 5. Who is a jealous God, 8. And knows all things forehand, 9. An exhortation to thanksgiving for benefits received, 10. That also the converted Gentiles must do, 11. In regard the Lord will overpower and subdue all their enemies, 13. A further prophecy concerning the calling of the Gentiles, 16. And the punishment of the idolaters, 17. A lamentation for the obstinacy and hardness of the Jews, both of the people and the priests, 19. And their miserable condition, 22. And obstinacy or hardness, 25.
BEHOLD1 my servant, 2whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth;a Ib have put 3my spirit upon him: 4he shall 5bring forth judgment to 6the Gentiles.
He shall not 7cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
8A bruised reed shall he not break, and 9the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall 10bring forth judgment 11unto truth.
12He shall not fail nor be 13discouraged, 14till he have set 15judgment in the earth: and 16the isles shall wait for his 17law.
¶Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched 18them out; he that 19spread forth the earth, and that 20which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and 21spirit to them that walk therein:
I the LORD have 22called 23thee 24in righteousness, and 25will hold thine hand, and 26will keep thee, and give thee 27for a covenant of the people, 28for a light of the Gentiles;
29To open 30the blind eyes, to 31bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in 32darkness out of the prison house.
I am 33the LORD: that is my name: and myc glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
Behold, 34the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Singd unto the LORD 35a new song, and his praise 36from the end of the earth, ye 37that go down to the sea, and 38all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
Let the wilderness and 39the cities thereof lift up their voice, 40the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let 41the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout 42from the top of the mountains.
Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.
43The LORD 44shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, 45roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
46I have long time holden my peace; 47I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
48I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.
And I will 49bring 50the blind 51by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crookede things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
¶They shall be turned back, they shall be 52greatly ashamed,f that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.
53Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
Who is blind, but 54my servant? or deaf, as 55my messenger 56that I sent? who is blind as he that is 57perfect, and blind as the LORD's servant?
Seeing 58many things, but thoug observest not; 59opening the ears, 60but he heareth not.
The LORD is 61well pleased 62for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify 63the law, and make it honourable.
But 64this is 65a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and 66none delivereth; for a spoil, and 67none saith, Restore.
Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear 68for the time to come?
Who gave 69Jacob for a spoil, and 70Israel to the robbers? 71did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.
Therefore he hath poured 72upon him 73the fury of his anger, and 74the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet 75he knew not; and it 76burned him, yet 77he laid it not to heart.