New English Translation
Isaiah 50:4
4The sovereign Lord has given me the capacity to be his spokesman, so that I know how to help the weary. He wakes me up every morning; he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do.
Isaiah 50:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
- New International Version (NIV)The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned.
Context of Isaiah 50:4
2Why does no one challenge me when I come? Why does no one respond when I call? Is my hand too weak to deliver you? Do I lack the power to rescue you? Look, with a mere shout I can dry up the sea; I can turn streams into a desert, so the fish rot away and die from lack of water. 3I can clothe the sky in darkness; I can cover it with sackcloth.” The sovereign Lord has given me the capacity to be his spokesman, so that I know how to help the weary. He wakes me up every morning; he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do. 5The sovereign Lord has spoken to me clearly; I have not rebelled, I have not turned back. 6I offered my back to those who attacked, my jaws to those who tore out my beard; I did not hide my face from insults and spitting.
Read all of Isaiah 50Isaiah 50:4 word by word
אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֗ה נָ֤תַן לִי֙ לְשׁ֣וֹן לִמּוּדִ֔ים לָדַ֛עַת לָע֥וּת אֶת־יָעֵ֖ף דָּבָ֑ר יָעִ֣יר׀ בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֗קֶר יָעִ֥יר לִי֙ אֹ֔זֶן לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ כַּלִּמּוּדִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
- hath givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- me the tongueלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongueH3956
- of the learnedלִמֻּדlimmûd limmûd · discipleH3928
- that I should knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- how to speakעוּת‛ûth · to helpH5790
- a wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- wearyיָעֵףyâ‛êph · wearyH3287
- he wakenethעוּר‛ûr · to rouseH5782
- morningבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
- mine earאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · earH241
- to hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
Cross-references for Isaiah 50:4
- Exodus 4:11The Lord said to him, “Who gave a mouth to man, or who makes a person mute or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?
- Psalms 45:2You are the most handsome of all men! You speak in an impressive and fitting manner! For this reason God grants you continual blessings.
- Jeremiah 1:9Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me.
- Matthew 22:46No one was able to answer him a word, and from that day on no one dared to question him any longer.
- Luke 4:22All were speaking well of him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. They said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
- Luke 21:15For I will give you the words along with the wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.
- John 7:46The officers replied, “No one ever spoke like this man!”
- Isaiah 57:15For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: “I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged.
- Proverbs 15:23A person has joy in giving an appropriate answer, and a word at the right time – how good it is!
- Proverbs 25:11Like apples of gold in settings of silver, so is a word skillfully spoken.
- Matthew 11:28Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
- Matthew 13:54Then he came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?
- John 7:15Then the Jewish leaders were astonished and said, “How does this man know so much when he has never had formal instruction?”
Commentaries on Isaiah 50:4
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The Lord God hath given me - This verse commences a new subject, and the deliverer is directly introduced as himself speaking. The reasons why this is supposed to refer to the Messiah, have been given in the analysis to the chapter. Those reasons will be strengthened by the examination of the particular expressions in the passage, and by showing, as we proceed in the exposition, in what way they are applicable to him. It will be assumed that the reference…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-9Verses 4-9 As Jesus was God and man in one person, we find him sometimes speaking, or spoken of, as the Lord God; at other times, as man and the servant of Jehovah. He was to declare the truths which comfort the broken, contrite heart, those weary of sin, harassed with afflictions. And as the Holy Spirit was upon him, that he might speak as never man spake; so the same Divine influence daily wakened him to pray, to preach the gospel, and to receive and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The Lord, who never gets tired (Isaiah 40:28), sends the servant with good news (see 40:28–31) to comfort those who are tired (see study note on Isaiah 40:1–31).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Messiah, as "the servant of Jehovah" (Is 42:1), declares that the office has been assigned to Him of encouraging the "weary" exiles of Israel by "words in season" suited to their case; and that, whatever suffering it is to cost Himself, He does not shrink from it (Is 50:5, 6), for that He knows His cause will triumph at last (Is 50:7, 8). learned--not in mere human learning, but in divinely taught modes of instruction and eloquence (Is 49:2; Ex 4:11…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 50:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 50
- 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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries