English Standard Version
Isaiah 42:21
21The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious.
Isaiah 42:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
- New International Version (NIV)It pleased the Lord for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will exalt the law and make it honorable.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Because he is righteous, the Lord has exalted his glorious law.
Context of Isaiah 42:21
19Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the Lord? 20He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear. The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious. 22But this is a people plundered and looted; they are all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become plunder with none to rescue, spoil with none to say, "Restore!" 23Who among you will give ear to this, will attend and listen for the time to come?
Read all of Isaiah 42Isaiah 42:21 word by word
יְהוָ֥ה חָפֵ֖ץ לְמַ֣עַן צִדְק֑וֹ יַגְדִּ֥יל תּוֹרָ֖ה וְיַאְדִּֽיר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 42:21
- Isaiah 1:24Therefore the Lord declares, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: "Ah, I will get relief from my enemies and avenge myself on my foes.
- Isaiah 46:12"Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from righteousness:
- Psalms 71:16With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.
- Psalms 85:9Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.
- Daniel 9:24"Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.
- Matthew 3:17and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
- Matthew 5:17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
- Matthew 17:5He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."
- John 8:29And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him."
- John 15:10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.
- Romans 3:25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
- 2 Corinthians 5:19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
- Philippians 3:9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
- Psalms 40:8I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."
- Matthew 3:15But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.
- Romans 3:31Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Commentaries on Isaiah 42:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21He win magnify the law "He hath exalted his own praise" - For תורה torah, the law, the Septuagint read תודה todah, praise.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness‘ sake - There is great variety in the translation and interpretation of this verse. Lowth renders it: Yet Yahweh was gracious unto him for his truth‘s sake; He hath exalted his own praise, and made it glorious. Noyes renders it: It pleased Yahweh for his goodness‘ sake To give him a law great and glorious; And yet it is a robbed and plundered people. The Septuagint renders it, The Lord God determined that he…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-25Verses 18-25 Observe the call given to this people, and the character given of them. Multitudes are ruined for want of observing that which they cannot but see; they perish, not through ignorance, but carelessness. The Lord is well-pleased in the making known his own righteousness. For their sins they were spoiled of all their possessions. This fully came to pass in the destruction of the Jewish nation. There is no resisting, nor escaping God's anger. See…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21magnify His law and make it glorious: God’s word is a witness to his righteous rule (see Isaiah 1:10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. his righteousness--not His people's, but His own; Is 42:24 shows that they had no righteousness (Is 45:24; 59:16). God is well pleased with His Son ("in whom My soul delighteth," Is 42:1), "who fulfils all righteousness" (Mt 3:15) for them, and with them for His sake (compare Is 42:6; Psa 71:16, 19; Mt 5:17; Ro 10:3, 4; Php 3:9). Perhaps in God's "righteousness" here is included His faithfulness to His promises given to Israel's forefathers…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 42:21
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries