Isaiah 49:4

Isaiah 49:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.
• New International Version (NIV)But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But 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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, And my work with my God.’ ”

Context of Isaiah 49:4

2He has made My mouth like a sharp sword, In the shadow of His hand He has kept Me hidden; And He has made Me a sharpened arrow, In His quiver He has hidden Me. 3And [the Lord] said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel, In Whom I will show My glory.” Then I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity (pride, uselessness); However My justice 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 and that Israel might be gathered to Him, —For I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, And My God is My strength— 6He says, “It is too trivial a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will also make You a light to the nations That My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:4 word by word

וַאֲנִ֤י אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ לְרִ֣יק יָגַ֔עְתִּי לְתֹ֥הוּ וְהֶ֖בֶל כֹּחִ֣י כִלֵּ֑יתִי אָכֵן֙ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה וּפְעֻלָּתִ֖י אֶת־אֱלֹהָֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then I saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I have labouredיָגֵעַyâga‛ · be weary/toilH3021
• in vainרִיקrîyq · vainH7385
• I have spentכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: expendH3615
• my strengthכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
• for noughtתֹּ֫הוּtôhû · formlessnessH8414
• and in vainהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• surelyאָכֵן'âkên · surelyH403
• my judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• with the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and my workפְּעֻלָּהpe‛ûllâh · wagesH6468
• with my Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Isaiah 49:4

• Isaiah 65:2I have spread out My hands all the day long to a rebellious and stubborn people, Who walk in the way that is not good, [following] after their own thoughts and intentions,
• Ezekiel 3:19However, if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he will die in his sin; but you have freed yourself [from responsibility].
• Matthew 17:17And Jesus answered, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.”
• Matthew 23:37“ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who murders the prophets and stones [to death] those [messengers] who are sent to her [by God]! How often I wanted to gather your children together [around Me], as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
• John 1:11He came to that which was His own [that which belonged to Him—His world, His creation, His possession], and those who were His own [people—the Jewish nation] did not receive and welcome Him.
• Romans 10:21But of Israel he says, “All day long I have stretched out My hands [in compassion] to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
• Galatians 4:11I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [to the point of exhaustion] over you in vain.
• Leviticus 26:20Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit.
• 2 Corinthians 12:15But I will very gladly spend [my own resources] and be utterly spent for your souls. If I love you greatly, am I to be loved less [by you]?
• Isaiah 53:10Yet the Lord was willing To crush Him, causing Him to suffer; If He would give Himself as a guilt offering [an atonement for sin], He shall see His [spiritual] offspring, He shall prolong His days, And the will (good pleasure) of the Lord shall succeed and prosper in His hand.
• Psalms 22:22I will tell of Your name to my countrymen; In the midst of the congregation I will praise You.
• Luke 24:26Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and [only then to] enter His glory?”
• John 17:4I have glorified You [down here] on the earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do.
• 2 Corinthians 2:15For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which ascends] to God, [discernible both] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
• Philippians 2:9For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
• Hebrews 12:2[looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].

Commentaries on Isaiah 49:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Then I said - I the Messiah. In the previous verses he speaks of his appointment to the office of Messiah, and of his dignity. The design here is to prepare the way for the announcement of the fact that he would make known his gospel to the pagan, and would be for a light to the Gentiles. For this purpose he speaks of his labors among his own countrymen; he laments the little success which attended his work at the commencement, but consoles himself with…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4I have labored in vain: Even though people stubbornly refuse his message, the servant will still reach out to them. My vindication is with the LORD: Despite discouragement and suffering, the servant will continue to perform his duty faithfully, trusting God for the outcome. God promised to reward the servant’s faithfulness (see also Isaiah 40:10; 50:8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. I--Messiah. in vain--comparatively in the case of the greater number of His own countrymen. "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" (Is 53:1-3; Lu 19:14; Joh 1:11; 7:5). Only a hundred twenty disciples met after His personal ministry was ended (Ac 1:15). yet ... my judgment ... with the Lord--Ultimately, God will do justice to My cause, and reward (Margin for "work," compare Is 40:10; 62:11) My labors and sufferings. He was never…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 49:4

• Jesus Continued

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Forget
• Mouth
• Atonement
• Choose; Chosen
• Christ, Offices of
• Isaiah
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Nought

Commentaries on Isaiah 49

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings