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 thought, “I have worked in vain; I have expended my energy for absolutely nothing.” But the Lord will vindicate me; my God will reward me. 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 – he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant, to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and restore the remnant of Israel? I will make you a light to the nations, so you can bring my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.” 7This is what the Lord, the protector of Israel, their Holy One, says to the one who is despised and rejected by nations, a servant of rulers: “Kings will see and rise in respect, princes will bow down, because of the faithful Lord, the Holy One of Israel who has chosen you.” 8This is what the Lord says: “At the time I decide to show my favor, I will respond to you; in the day of deliverance I will help you; I will protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people, to rebuild the land and to reassign the desolate property.

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 3:18This is an easy task for the Lord; he will also hand Moab over to you.
• 2 Kings 20:10Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps, but not for it to go back ten steps.”
• Isaiah 42:6“I, the Lord, officially commission you; I take hold of your hand. I protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people, and a light to the nations,
• Isaiah 60:3Nations come to your light, kings to your bright light.
• 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 mankind.
• Acts 13:47For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
• Acts 26:18to open their eyes so that they turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
• Isaiah 11:10At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic.
• Isaiah 24:14They lift their voices and shout joyfully; they praise the majesty of the Lord in the west.
• Isaiah 46:13I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away; I am bringing my salvation near, it does not wait. I will save Zion; I will adorn Israel with my splendor.”
• Isaiah 51:20Your children faint; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a snare. They are left in a stupor by the Lord’s anger, by the battle cry of your God.
• Psalms 98:2The Lord demonstrates his power to deliver; in the sight of the nations he reveals his justice.
• Luke 24:46and said to them, “Thus it stands written that the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead 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