Isaiah 49:6

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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)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."
• 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.’ ”

Context of Isaiah 49:6

4But I said, “I have worked hard for nothing. I have used my strength, but I didn’t accomplish anything. Yet, certainly my case is in the Lord’s hands, and my reward is with my God.” 5The Lord formed me in the womb to be his servant in order to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to him. (The Lord honors me, and my God has become my strength.) Now, the Lord says, “You are not just my servant who restores the tribes of Jacob and brings back those in Israel whom I have preserved. I have also made you a light for the nations so that you would save people all over the world.” 7The Lord is the defender of Israel, its Holy One. This is what the Lord says to the despised one, to the one scorned by the nation, to the slave of rulers: Kings will see ⌞you⌟ and stand. Princes will see ⌞you⌟ and bow. The Lord is faithful. The Holy One of Israel has chosen you. 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.

Isaiah 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 3:18The Lord considers that an easy thing to do. In addition, he will put Moab at your mercy.
• 2 Kings 20:10Hezekiah replied, “It’s easy for the shadow to extend ten ⌞more⌟ steps forward. No, let it come back ten steps.”
• Isaiah 42:6I, 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 60:3Nations will come to your light, and kings will come to the brightness of your dawn.
• Luke 2:32He is a light that will reveal ⌞salvation⌟ to the nations and bring glory to your people Israel.”
• John 1:4He was the source of life, and that life was the light for humanity.
• Acts 13:47The Lord gave us the following order: ‘I have made you a light for the nations so that you would save people all over the world.’ ”
• Acts 26:18You will open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from Satan’s control to God’s. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and a share among God’s people who are made holy by believing in me.’
• Isaiah 11:10At that time the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the people ⌞to gather around⌟. The nations will come to him. His resting place will be glorious.
• Isaiah 24:14They raise their voices. They shout for joy. From the sea they sing joyfully about the Lord’s majesty.
• Isaiah 46:13I’ll bring my righteousness near; it isn’t far away. My salvation will not be delayed. I’ll provide salvation for Zion and bring my glory to Israel.
• Isaiah 51:20Your children have fainted. They lie sleeping at every street corner. They are like an antelope caught in a net. They experience the anger of the Lord, the fury of your God.
• Psalms 98:2The Lord has made his salvation known. He has uncovered his righteousness for the nations to see.
• Luke 24:46He said to them, “Scripture says that the Messiah would suffer and that he would come back to life on the third day.

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

• Church
• Gentiles
• Jesus Continued
• Light
• Prophecy
• Quotations and Allusions

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Jacob
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Christ
• Forget
• Mouth
• Accommodation
• Atonement
• Choose; Chosen

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