God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 42:6
6I, the Lord, have called you to do what is right. I will take hold of your hand. I will protect you. I will appoint you as my promise to the people, as my light to the nations.
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,
- English Standard Version (ESV)"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,
- 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,
Context of Isaiah 42:6
4He will not be discouraged or crushed until he has set up justice on the earth. The coastlands will wait for his teachings. 5The Lord God created the heavens and stretched them out. He shaped the earth and all that comes from it. He gave life to the people who are on it and breath to those who walk on it. This is what the Lord God says: I, the Lord, have called you to do what is right. I will take hold of your hand. I will protect you. I will appoint you as my promise to the people, as my light to the nations. 7You will give sight to the blind, bring prisoners out of prisons, and bring those who live in darkness out of dungeons. 8I am the Lord; that is my name. I will not give my glory to anyone else or the praise I deserve to idols.
Read all of Isaiah 42Isaiah 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 32:1A king will rule with fairness, and officials will rule with justice.
- Isaiah 43:1The Lord created Jacob and formed Israel. Now, this is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid, because I have reclaimed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.
- Isaiah 45:13I prepared Cyrus for my righteous purpose. I will make all his roads straight. He will build my city and let my exiles go free without any payment or any reward, says the Lord of Armies.
- Isaiah 49:1Listen to me, you islands. Pay attention, you people far away. Before I was born, the Lord chose me. While I was in my mother’s womb, he recorded my name.
- Psalms 45:6Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter in your kingdom is a scepter for justice.
- Jeremiah 23:5“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will grow a righteous branch for David. He will be a king who will rule wisely. He will do what is fair and right in the land.
- Jeremiah 33:15In those days and at that time, I will cause a righteous branch to spring up for David. He will do what is fair and right in the land.
- Romans 3:25God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy where God’s approval is given through faith in Christ’s blood. In his patience God waited to deal with sins committed in the past.
- Hebrews 1:8But God said about his Son, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter in your kingdom is a scepter for justice.
- Hebrews 7:2Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he had captured. In the first place, Melchizedek’s name means king of God’s approval. He is also called king of Salem (which means king of peace).
- Isaiah 42:1Here is my servant, whom I support. Here is my chosen one, with whom I am pleased. I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations.
- Isaiah 41:13I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand and say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid; I will help you.’
- Isaiah 49:8This is what the Lord says: In the time of favor I will answer you. In the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you. I will appoint you as my promise to the people. You will restore the land. You will make them inherit the desolate inheritance.
- Matthew 26:28This is my blood, the blood of the promise. It is poured out for many people so that sins are forgiven.
- Luke 1:69He has raised up a mighty Savior for us in the family of his servant David.
- Romans 15:8Let me explain. Christ became a servant for the Jewish people to reveal God’s truth. As a result, he fulfilled God’s promise to the ancestors of the Jewish people.
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
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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