Isaiah 42:1

Isaiah 42:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
• New International Version (NIV)“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

Context of Isaiah 42:1

‘Here is my servant. I give him strength. I have chosen him. He makes me very happy. I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations. 2He will not cry out. He will not shout. He will not speak loudly in the streets. 3He will not hurt weak people, like someone who breaks a weak reed. He will not destroy helpless people, like someone who puts out a weak flame. He will be kind to people, and he will judge them in a fair way.

Isaiah 42:1 word by word

הֵ֤ן עַבְדִּי֙ אֶתְמָךְ־בּ֔וֹ בְּחִירִ֖י רָצְתָ֣ה נַפְשִׁ֑י נָתַ֤תִּי רוּחִי֙ עָלָ֔יו מִשְׁפָּ֖ט לַגּוֹיִ֥ם יוֹצִֽיא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Behold my servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• whom I upholdתָּמַךְtâmak · to graspH8551
• mine electבָּחִירbâchîyr · chosenH972
• my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• delightethרָצָהrâtsâh · to acceptH7521
• I have putנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• my spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
• upon him: he shall bring forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
• judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• to the Gentilesגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471

Cross-references for Isaiah 42:1

• Isaiah 43:10The Lord says to his people, ‘You are the people who must say that I am right. I have chosen you as my servant. I chose you so that you may know me, and also believe in me. Then you would understand that I am the true God. There has never been any other god except me, and there never will be.
• Isaiah 49:3He said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel. Because of you, I will cause people to know that I am great.’
• Isaiah 52:13Look! My servant will do well. He will move up to a high place where people will honour him as great.
• Isaiah 53:11When God's servant sees the result of his pain, he will understand what he has done. And he will be happy. The Lord says, ‘My righteous servant will cause many people to be “not guilty”, because he will take the punishment for all their sins.
• Matthew 12:18‘Here is my servant. I have chosen him to serve me. I love him and he makes me very happy. I will give him the strength of my Spirit. He will tell all the nations that I will judge them fairly.
• Philippians 2:7Instead, he chose to leave heaven. He took for himself the nature of a slave. He became like a human.
• Isaiah 49:7The Lord is Israel's Redeemer, their Holy God. Nations refuse to accept his servant. Their people hate him and their rulers have made him their slave. The Lord says to his servant, ‘Kings will see you and they will rise up to respect you. Princes will bend down low in front of you. They will see that the Lord is faithful. He is Israel's Holy God, who has chosen you to serve him.’
• Isaiah 50:4‘The Almighty Lord has given his message to me, his servant. I speak it on his behalf. I know what to say to help weak and tired people. The Lord wakes me up every morning so that I can learn something. I listen carefully to him, as a student listens to his teacher.
• John 16:32But it will happen very soon that all of you will run away to your own homes. Yes, that time has already arrived. You will run away and leave me alone. But I will not really be alone, because the Father is always with me.
• Psalms 89:19A long time ago, Lord, you spoke to your servants. In a vision, you said to them, ‘I have helped a brave soldier to be strong. I have chosen as king a young man from among the people.
• John 6:27Do not work only for that kind of food. It soon becomes spoiled. Instead, work to get the food that continues for ever. That kind of food gives you life with God. The Son of Man will give this food to you. God, the Father, has given the Son authority to do this.’
• 1 Peter 2:4So come to the Lord Jesus. He is like a big stone that a builder uses to build a house. But he is alive. People decided that he was not important. So they refused him. But God had chosen him. To God, Jesus is very valuable.
• Matthew 3:17Then a voice spoke from heaven, which said, ‘This man is my Son and I love him. He makes me very happy.’
• Matthew 17:5While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud appeared. It covered them all. A voice spoke from the cloud and it said, ‘This is my Son and I love him. He makes me very happy. Listen to him.’
• Mark 1:11A voice spoke from heaven: ‘You are my Son and I love you. You make me very happy.’
• Luke 3:22The Holy Spirit came down onto Jesus. When he came down like that, he looked like a dove. Then a voice spoke from heaven, ‘You are my Son and I love you. You make me very happy.’

Commentaries on Isaiah 42:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Behold my servant, whom I uphold - בו אתמך ethmach bo, on whom I lean. Alluding to the custom of kings leaning on the arm of their most beloved and faithful servant. All, both Jews and Christians, agree, that the seven first verses of this chapter belong to Christ. Now, as they are evidently a continuation of the prophecy in the preceding chapter, that prophecy cannot belong to Cyrus, but to Christ. He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles "He shall…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Behold - This word is designed to call attention to the person that is immediately referred to. It is an intimation that the subject is of importance, and should command their regard. My servant - This phrase denotes properly anyone who acknowledges or worships God; anyone who is regarded as serving or obeying him. It is a term which may be applied to anyone who is esteemed to be a pious man, or who is obedient to the commands of God, and is often applied…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The character and coming of Christ. (Is. 42:1-4) The blessings of his kingdom. (Is. 42:5-12) The prevalence of true religion. (Is. 42:13-17) Unbelief and blindness reproved. (Is. 42:18-25) Verses 1-4 This prophecy was fulfilled in Christ, Matt. 12:17. Let our souls rely on him, and rejoice in him; then, for his sake, the Father will be well-pleased with us. The Holy Spirit not only came, but rested upon him, and without measure. He patiently bore the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1in whom My soul delights: God used similar words at the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:17). I will put My Spirit on Him: Any leader might be called a servant, but the Spirit's presence suggests a king from David’s line or a prophet like Moses (see Numbers 11:17, 24–29). Establishing justice is a king's duty (see Isaiah 9:6–7; Psalm 72:1). This king’s mission will extend beyond governing Judah to a greater mission for the nations.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-25God's description of His character (Is 42:1-4). God addresses Him directly (Is 42:5-7). Address to the people to attend to the subject (Is 42:8, 9). Call to all, and especially the exile Jews to rejoice in the coming deliverance (Is 42:10-25). 1. my servant--The law of prophetic suggestion leads Isaiah from Cyrus to the far greater Deliverer, behind whom the former is lost sight of. The express quotation in Mt 12:18-20, and the description can apply to…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 42:1

• Church
• Election
• Gentiles
• Holy Spirit
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Meekness
• Prophecy
• Quotations and Allusions
• Trinity

In the dictionaries

• Ashamed
• Chosen
• Covenant
• Elect
• Isle
• Prison
• Servant
• Travailing
• Trust
• Accommodation

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