Isaiah 42:6

Isaiah 42:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
• New International Version (NIV)“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,
• New Living Translation (NLT)“I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations.

Context of Isaiah 42:6

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: "I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.

Isaiah 42:6 word by word

אֲנִ֧י יְהוָ֛ה קְרָאתִ֥יךָֽ בְצֶ֖דֶק וְאַחְזֵ֣ק בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְאֶצָּרְךָ֗ וְאֶתֶּנְךָ֛ לִבְרִ֥ית עָ֖ם לְא֥וֹר גּוֹיִֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• have calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• thee in righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
• and will holdחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
• thine handיָדyâd · handH3027
• and will keepנָצַרnâtsar · to watchH5341
• thee, and giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• thee for a covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
• of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• for a lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
• of the Gentilesגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471

Cross-references for Isaiah 42:6

• Isaiah 32:1Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice.
• Isaiah 43:1But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
• Isaiah 45:13I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward," says the Lord of hosts.
• Isaiah 49:1Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.
• Psalms 45:6Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;
• Jeremiah 23:5"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
• Jeremiah 33:15In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
• 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.
• Hebrews 1:8But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
• Hebrews 7:2and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.
• Isaiah 42:1Behold 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.
• Isaiah 41:13For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you."
• Isaiah 49:8Thus says the Lord: "In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages,
• Matthew 26:28for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
• Luke 1:69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
• Romans 15:8For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,

Commentaries on Isaiah 42:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6A covenant of the people "A covenant to the people" - For עם am, two MSS. of Dr. Kennicott's, and of my own, read עולם olam, the covenant of the age to come, or the everlasting covenant; which seems to give a clearer and better sense. But I think the word ברית berith, here, should not be translated covenant, but covenant sacrifice, which meaning it often has; and undoubtedly in this place. This gives a still stronger and clearer sense.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6I the Lord have called thee in righteousness - The phrase in righteousness‘ has been very differently understood by different expositors (see the note at Isaiah 41:10). The most probable meaning may be, I have done it as a righteous and just God, or in the accomplishment of my righteous purposes. I am the just moral governor of the universe, and to accomplish my purposes of justice and fidelity, I have designated thee to this work.‘ Lowth has well…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-12Verses 5-12 The work of redemption brings back man to the obedience he owes to God as his Maker. Christ is the light of the world. And by his grace he opens the understandings Satan has blinded, and sets at liberty from the bondage of sin. The Lord has supported his church. And now he makes new promises, which shall as certainly be fulfilled as the old ones were. When the Gentiles are brought into the church, he is glorified in them and by them. Let us…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6I will keep you … to be a covenant for the people: The people might refer to all the nations of the earth (see Isaiah 49:6). a light to the nations: See also Isaiah 51:4; Acts 13:47.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. in righteousness--rather, "for a righteous purpose" [Lowth]. (See Is 42:21). God "set forth" His Son "to be a propitiation (so as) to declare His (God's) righteousness, that God might be just, and (yet) the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Ro 3:25, 26; compare see on Is 41:2; Is 45:13; 50:8, 9). hold ... hand--compare as to Israel, the type of Messiah, Ho 11:3. covenant--the medium of the covenant, originally made between God and Abraham (Is…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 42:6

• Blindness
• Church
• Depravity of Man
• Gentiles
• Gifts from God
• Gospel
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Ashamed
• Covenant
• Elect
• Isle
• Prison
• Servant
• Travailing
• Trust
• Covenant, in the Old Testament
• Faithful; Faithfulness

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