Isaiah 49:4

Isaiah 49:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.
• New International Version (NIV)But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But 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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, And my work with my God.’ ”

Context of Isaiah 49:4

2He has made My mouth like a sharp sword, In the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me; And He has also made Me a select arrow, He has hidden Me in His quiver. 3He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel, In Whom I will show My glory.” But I said, “I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity; Yet surely the justice due to Me is with the Lord, And My reward with My God.” 5And now says the Lord, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him (For I am honored in the sight of the Lord, And My God is My strength), 6He 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 make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:4 word by word

וַאֲנִ֤י אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ לְרִ֣יק יָגַ֔עְתִּי לְתֹ֥הוּ וְהֶ֖בֶל כֹּחִ֣י כִלֵּ֑יתִי אָכֵן֙ מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה וּפְעֻלָּתִ֖י אֶת־אֱלֹהָֽי׃Read the interlinear

• But I saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• toiledיָגֵעַyâga‛ · be weary/toilH3021
• I have spentכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: expendH3615
• My strengthכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
• for nothingתֹּ֫הוּtôhû · formlessnessH8414
• and vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• Yet surelyאָכֵן'âkên · surelyH403
• the justiceמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• to Me is with the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• rewardפְּעֻלָּהpe‛ûllâh · wagesH6468
• with My Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Isaiah 49:4

• Isaiah 65:2I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts,
• Ezekiel 3:19Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself.
• Matthew 17:17And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.”
• Matthew 23:37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
• John 1:11He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
• Romans 10:21But as for Israel He says, “All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”
• Galatians 4:11I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.
• Leviticus 26:20Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit.
• 2 Corinthians 12:15I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?
• Isaiah 53:10But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.
• Psalms 22:22I will tell of Your name to my brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
• Luke 24:26Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?”
• John 17:4I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.
• 2 Corinthians 2:15For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
• Philippians 2:9For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
• Hebrews 12:2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Commentaries on Isaiah 49:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Then I said - I the Messiah. In the previous verses he speaks of his appointment to the office of Messiah, and of his dignity. The design here is to prepare the way for the announcement of the fact that he would make known his gospel to the pagan, and would be for a light to the Gentiles. For this purpose he speaks of his labors among his own countrymen; he laments the little success which attended his work at the commencement, but consoles himself with…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4I have labored in vain: Even though people stubbornly refuse his message, the servant will still reach out to them. My vindication is with the LORD: Despite discouragement and suffering, the servant will continue to perform his duty faithfully, trusting God for the outcome. God promised to reward the servant’s faithfulness (see also Isaiah 40:10; 50:8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. I--Messiah. in vain--comparatively in the case of the greater number of His own countrymen. "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" (Is 53:1-3; Lu 19:14; Joh 1:11; 7:5). Only a hundred twenty disciples met after His personal ministry was ended (Ac 1:15). yet ... my judgment ... with the Lord--Ultimately, God will do justice to My cause, and reward (Margin for "work," compare Is 40:10; 62:11) My labors and sufferings. He was never…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 49:4

• Jesus Continued

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Forget
• Mouth
• Atonement
• Choose; Chosen
• Christ, Offices of
• Isaiah
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Nought

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