New English Translation
Isaiah 49:1
1Listen to me, you coastlands! Pay attention, you people who live far away! The Lord summoned me from birth; he commissioned me when my mother brought me into the world.
Isaiah 49:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
- New International Version (NIV)Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Listen 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.
Context of Isaiah 49:1
Listen to me, you coastlands! Pay attention, you people who live far away! The Lord summoned me from birth; he commissioned me when my mother brought me into the world. 2He made my mouth like a sharp sword, he hid me in the hollow of his hand; he made me like a sharpened arrow, he hid me in his quiver. 3He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, through whom I will reveal my splendor.”
Read all of Isaiah 49Isaiah 49:1 word by word
שִׁמְע֤וּ אִיִּים֙ אֵלַ֔י וְהַקְשִׁ֥יבוּ לְאֻמִּ֖ים מֵרָח֑וֹק יְהוָה֙ מִבֶּ֣טֶן קְרָאָ֔נִי מִמְּעֵ֥י אִמִּ֖י הִזְכִּ֥יר שְׁמִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Listenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- O islesאִי'îy · coastlandH339
- unto me; and hearkenקָשַׁבqâshab · to listenH7181
- ye peopleלְאֹםle'ôm le'ôm · peopleH3816
- from farרָחֹקrâchôq râchôq · distantH7350
- The Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- hath calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- me from the wombבֶּ֫טֶןbeţen · belly: wombH990
- from the bowelsמֵעֶהmê‛eh · bellyH4578
- of my motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
- hath he made mentionזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
- of my nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
Cross-references for Isaiah 49:1
- Isaiah 41:1“Listen to me in silence, you coastlands! Let the nations find renewed strength! Let them approach and then speak; let us come together for debate!
- Isaiah 42:1“Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I take pleasure. I have placed my spirit on him; he will make just decrees for the nations.
- Isaiah 45:22Turn to me so you can be delivered, all you who live in the earth’s remote regions! For I am God, and I have no peer.
- Isaiah 51:5I am ready to vindicate, I am ready to deliver, I will establish justice among the nations. The coastlands wait patiently for me; they wait in anticipation for the revelation of my power.
- Isaiah 60:9Indeed, the coastlands look eagerly for me, the large ships are in the lead, bringing your sons from far away, along with their silver and gold, to honor the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has bestowed honor on you.
- Isaiah 66:19I will perform a mighty act among them and then send some of those who remain to the nations – to Tarshish, Pul, Lud (known for its archers), Tubal, Javan, and to the distant coastlands that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor.
- Zephaniah 2:11The Lord will terrify them, for he will weaken all the gods of the earth. All the distant nations will worship the Lord in their own lands.
- Isaiah 55:3Pay attention and come to me! Listen, so you can live! Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you, just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David.
- Isaiah 57:19I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. Complete prosperity is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,” says the Lord, “and I will heal them.
- Ephesians 2:17And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near,
- Hebrews 12:25Take care not to refuse the one who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less shall we, if we reject the one who warns from heaven?
- Isaiah 49:5So now the Lord says, the one who formed me from birth to be his servant – he did this to restore Jacob to himself, so that Israel might be gathered to him; and I will be honored in the Lord’s sight, for my God is my source of strength –
- Psalms 71:5For you give me confidence, O Lord; O Lord, I have trusted in you since I was young.
- Jeremiah 1:5“Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
- Matthew 1:20When he had contemplated this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
- Luke 1:15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.
Commentaries on Isaiah 49:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Listen, O isles, unto me "Hearken unto me, O ye distant lands" - Hitherto the subject of the prophecy has been chiefly confined to the redemption from the captivity of Babylon; with strong intimations of a more important deliverance sometimes thrown in, to the refutation of idolatry, and the demonstration of the infinite power, wisdom, and foreknowledge of God. The character and office of the Messiah was exhibited in general terms at the beginning of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Listen - This is the exordium, or introduction. According to the interpretation which refers it to the Messiah, it is to be regarded as the voice of the Redeemer calling the distant parts of the earth to give a respectful attention to the statement of his qualifications for his work, and to the assurances that his salvation would be extended to them (compare Isaiah 41:1). The Redeemer here is to be regarded as having already come in the flesh, and as…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The unbelief and rejection of the Jews. (Is. 49:1-6) Gracious promise to the Gentiles. (Is. 49:7-12) God's love to the church. (Is. 49:13-17) Its increase. (Is. 49:18-23) And deliverance. (Is. 49:24-26) Verses 1-6 The great Author of redemption shows the authority for his work. The sword of his word slays the lusts of his people, and all at enmity with them. His sharp arrows wound the conscience; but all these wounds will be healed, when the sinner prays…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1O distant peoples: The servant's work would not be limited to Israel. His ministry would reach people in faraway nations (see Isaiah 42:4, 10, 12; 51:5; 60:9; 66:19). called Me from the womb … He named Me: The promised servant's prophetic call was like Jeremiah's call (see Jeremiah 1:5; see also Galatians 1:15). It was not a general call but a very specific, personal one (see also Isaiah 43:1; 45:3–4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-26Messiah, as the ideal Israel (Is 49:3), states the object of His mission, His want of success for a time, yet His certainty of ultimate success. 1. O isles--Messiah is here regarded as having been rejected by the Jews (Is 49:4, 5), and as now turning to the Gentiles, to whom the Father hath given Him "for a light and salvation." "Isles" mean all regions beyond sea. from the womb--(Is 44:2; Lu 1:31; Joh 10:36). from ... bowels ... mention of my name--His…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 49:1
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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