New International Version
Isaiah 42:3
3A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
Isaiah 42:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
- English Standard Version (ESV)a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
- New King James Version (NKJV)A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.
- New Living Translation (NLT)He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.
Context of Isaiah 42:3
1“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. 2He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.” 5This is what God the Lord says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:
Read all of Isaiah 42Isaiah 42:3 word by word
קָנֶ֤ה רָצוּץ֙ לֹ֣א יִשְׁבּ֔וֹר וּפִשְׁתָּ֥ה כֵהָ֖ה לֹ֣א יְכַבֶּ֑נָּה לֶאֱמֶ֖ת יוֹצִ֥יא מִשְׁפָּֽט׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- A bruisedרָצַץrâtsats · to crushH7533
- reedקָנֶהqâneh · branch: stemH7070
- shall he not breakשָׁבַרshâbar · to breakH7665
- and the smokingכֵּהֶהkêheh · faintH3544
- flaxפִּשְׁתָּהpishtâh · flaxH6594
- shall he not quenchכָּבָהkâbâh · to quenchH3518
- he shall bring forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
- judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
- unto truthאֱמֶת'emeth · truth: faithfulH571
Cross-references for Isaiah 42:3
- Isaiah 35:3Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;
- Isaiah 40:11He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
- Isaiah 50:4The 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.
- Isaiah 57:15For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.
- Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
- Isaiah 66:2Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.
- Psalms 103:13As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
- Psalms 147:3He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
- Jeremiah 30:12“This is what the Lord says: “ ‘Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing.
- Jeremiah 31:18“I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning: ‘You disciplined me like an unruly calf, and I have been disciplined. Restore me, and I will return, because you are the Lord my God.
- Ezekiel 34:16I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
- Matthew 11:28“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
- Luke 22:31“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.
- John 20:19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
- Hebrews 2:17For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.
Commentaries on Isaiah 42:3
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3A bruised reed - The word reed‘ means the cane or calamus which grows up in marshy or wet places (Isaiah 36:6; see the note at Isaiah 43:24). The word, therefore, literally denotes that which is fragile, weak, easily waved by the wind, or broken down; and stands in contrast with a lofty and firm tree (compare Matthew 11:7): What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?‘ The word here, therefore, may be applied to people who are…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The royal servant will be gentle with the oppressed and discouraged (see Isaiah 3:15; 41:17).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. bruised--"It pleased the Lord to bruise Him" (Is 53:5, 10; Ge 3:15); so He can feel for the bruised. As Is 42:2 described His unturbulent spirit towards His violent enemies (Mt 12:14-16), and His utter freedom from love of notoriety, so Is 42:3, His tenderness in cherishing the first spark of grace in the penitent (Is 40:11). reed--fragile: easily "shaken with the wind" (Mt 11:7). Those who are at best feeble, and who besides are oppressed by calamity…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 42:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 42
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- 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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