Christian Standard Bible
Isaiah 42:3
3He will not break a bruised reed, and he will not put out a smoldering wick; he will faithfully bring justice.
Isaiah 42:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
- New International Version (NIV)A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
- English Standard Version (ESV)a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
- New King James Version (NKJV)A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.
Context of Isaiah 42:3
1“This is my servant; I strengthen him, this is my chosen one; I delight in him. I have put my Spirit on him; he will bring justice to the nations. 2He will not cry out or shout or make his voice heard in the streets. He will not break a bruised reed, and he will not put out a smoldering wick; he will faithfully bring justice. 4He will not grow weak or be discouraged until he has established justice on earth. The coasts and islands will wait for his instruction.” 5This is what God, the Lord, says — who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it —
Read all of Isaiah 42Isaiah 42:3 word by word
קָנֶ֤ה רָצוּץ֙ לֹ֣א יִשְׁבּ֔וֹר וּפִשְׁתָּ֥ה כֵהָ֖ה לֹ֣א יְכַבֶּ֑נָּה לֶאֱמֶ֖ת יוֹצִ֥יא מִשְׁפָּֽט׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- A bruisedרָצַץrâtsats · to crushH7533
- reedקָנֶהqâneh · branch: stemH7070
- shall he not breakשָׁבַרshâbar · to breakH7665
- and the smokingכֵּהֶהkêheh · faintH3544
- flaxפִּשְׁתָּהpishtâh · flaxH6594
- shall he not quenchכָּבָהkâbâh · to quenchH3518
- he shall bring forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
- judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
- unto truthאֱמֶת'emeth · truth: faithfulH571
Cross-references for Isaiah 42:3
- Isaiah 35:3Strengthen the weak hands, steady the shaking knees!
- Isaiah 40:11He protects his flock like a shepherd; he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them in the fold of his garment. He gently leads those that are nursing.
- Isaiah 50:4The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are instructed to know how to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens me each morning; he awakens my ear to listen like those being instructed.
- Isaiah 57:15For the High and Exalted One, who lives forever, whose name is holy, says this: “I live in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the oppressed.
- Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners;
- Isaiah 66:2My hand made all these things, and so they all came into being. This is the Lord’s declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person: one who is humble, submissive in spirit, and trembles at my word.
- Psalms 103:13As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
- Psalms 147:3He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
- Jeremiah 30:12For this is what the Lord says: Your injury is incurable; your wound most severe.
- Jeremiah 31:18I have surely heard Ephraim moaning, “You disciplined me, and I have been disciplined like an untrained calf. Take me back, so that I can return, for you, Lord, are my God.
- Ezekiel 34:16I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bandage the injured, and strengthen the weak, but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will shepherd them with justice.
- Matthew 11:28“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
- Luke 22:31“Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat.
- John 20:19When it was evening on that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
- Hebrews 2:17Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.
Commentaries on Isaiah 42:3
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3A bruised reed - The word reed‘ means the cane or calamus which grows up in marshy or wet places (Isaiah 36:6; see the note at Isaiah 43:24). The word, therefore, literally denotes that which is fragile, weak, easily waved by the wind, or broken down; and stands in contrast with a lofty and firm tree (compare Matthew 11:7): What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?‘ The word here, therefore, may be applied to people who are…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The royal servant will be gentle with the oppressed and discouraged (see Isaiah 3:15; 41:17).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. bruised--"It pleased the Lord to bruise Him" (Is 53:5, 10; Ge 3:15); so He can feel for the bruised. As Is 42:2 described His unturbulent spirit towards His violent enemies (Mt 12:14-16), and His utter freedom from love of notoriety, so Is 42:3, His tenderness in cherishing the first spark of grace in the penitent (Is 40:11). reed--fragile: easily "shaken with the wind" (Mt 11:7). Those who are at best feeble, and who besides are oppressed by calamity…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 42:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 42
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- 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
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