English Standard Version
Isaiah 42:3
3a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth 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;
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.
Context of Isaiah 42:3
1Behold 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. 2He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. 5Thus says God, the Lord, 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 in 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, and make firm the feeble knees.
- Isaiah 40:11He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
- Isaiah 50:4The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
- Isaiah 57:15For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
- Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
- Isaiah 66:2All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
- Psalms 103:13As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
- Psalms 147:3He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
- Jeremiah 30:12"For thus says the Lord: Your hurt is incurable, and your wound is grievous.
- Jeremiah 31:18I have heard Ephraim grieving, 'You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like an untrained calf; bring me back that I may be restored, for you are the Lord my God.
- Ezekiel 34:16I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.
- Matthew 11:28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
- Luke 22:31"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
- John 20:19On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
- Hebrews 2:17Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation 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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