English Standard Version
Isaiah 49:6
6he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
Isaiah 49:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
- New International Version (NIV)he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”
- New Living Translation (NLT)He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Context of Isaiah 49:6
4But I said, "I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God." 5And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him— for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength— he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." 7Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." 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,
Read all of Isaiah 49Isaiah 49:6 word by word
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר נָקֵ֨ל מִֽהְיוֹתְךָ֥ לִי֙ עֶ֔בֶד לְהָקִים֙ אֶת־שִׁבְטֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּנְצוּרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהָשִׁ֑יב וּנְתַתִּ֙יךָ֙ לְא֣וֹר גּוֹיִ֔ם לִֽהְי֥וֹת יְשׁוּעָתִ֖י עַד־קְצֵ֥ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- It is a light thingקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
- that thou shouldest be my servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- to raise upקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
- the tribesשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
- of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- and to restoreשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- the preservedנָצִירnâtsîyr · preservedH5336
- the preservedנָצַרnâtsar · to watchH5341
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- I will also giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: makeH5414
- thee for a lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
- to the Gentilesגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- that thou mayest be my salvationיְשׁוּעָהyeshû‛âh · salvationH3444
- unto the endקָצֶהqâtseh qêtseh · endH7097
- of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
Cross-references for Isaiah 49:6
- 2 Kings 3:18This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will also give the Moabites into your hand,
- 2 Kings 20:10And Hezekiah answered, "It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps."
- Isaiah 42:6"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,
- Isaiah 60:3And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
- Luke 2:32a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."
- John 1:4In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
- Acts 13:47For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"
- Acts 26:18to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
- Isaiah 11:10In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
- Isaiah 24:14They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the Lord they shout from the west.
- Isaiah 46:13I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory."
- Isaiah 51:20Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of the Lord, the rebuke of your God.
- Psalms 98:2The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
- Luke 24:46and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,
Commentaries on Isaiah 49:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6And to restore the preserved of Irsrae "And to restore the branches of Israel" - נצירי netsirey, or נצורי netsurey, as the Masoretes correct it in the marginal reading. This word has been matter of great doubt with interpreters: the Syriac renders it the branch, taking it for the same with נצר netser, Isaiah 11:1. See Michaelis Epim. in Praelect. xix.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6And he said - That is, Yahweh said in his promise to the Messiah. It is a light thing - Margin, Art thou lighter than that thou,‘ etc. Lowth renders it, It is a small thing.‘ Hengstenberg, It is too little that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob.‘ The sense is, that God designed to glorify him in an eminent degree, and that it would not be as much honor as be designed to confer on him, to appoint him merely to produce a…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6a light for the nations: As the Messiah (God's chosen one), the servant's mission would reach the entire world (see Isaiah 11:10, 12; 42:6). The apostle Paul explained his mission to the Gentiles based on this prophecy (Acts 13:47; 26:23).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. It is a light thing--"It is too little that Thou shouldest," [Hengstenberg], that is, It is not enough honor to Thee to raise up Jacob and Israel, but I design for Thee more, namely, that Thou shouldest be the means of enlightening the Gentiles (Is 42:6, 7; 60:3). the preserved--namely, those remaining after the judgments of God on the nation--the elect remnant of Israel reserved for mercy. Lowth, with a slight but needless change of the Hebrew…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 49:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 49
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- 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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