Isaiah 50
Expanded Bible
Israel Was Punished for Its Sin
50 This is what the Lord says :
“People of Israel, you say I ·divorced [L sent away] your mother.
Then where is the certificate of divorce that proves it?
Or ·do you think I sold you to pay a debt [L to which of my creditors did I sell you]?
Because of ·the evil things you did [your sins/iniquities], I sold you.
Because of ·the times she turned against me [your transgressions], your mother was sent away.
2 ·I came home and found [L Why, when I came, did I find…?] no one there;
I called, but no one answered.
·Do you think I am not able [L Is my hand too short] to ·save [redeem] you [59:1]?
Do I not have the power to save you?
·Look [T Behold], ·I need only to shout and [L With my rebuke] the sea becomes dry [Ex. 14:21].
I change rivers into a desert [Josh. 3:16],
and their fish rot because there is no water;
they die of thirst.
3 I can ·make the skies dark [L clothe the skies/heavens in darkness; Rev. 6:12];
I can make ·them black like clothes of sadness [L sackcloth their covering].”
God’s Servant Obeys
4 The Lord God gave me the ·ability to teach [L tongue of a student/learned one]
so that I know what to say to make the ·weak [weary] strong.
Every morning he wakes me.
He ·teaches me [L awakens my ear] to listen like a student [C this passage (50:4–11) is the third of four “servant songs” in Isaiah; see 42:1].
5 The Lord God ·helps me learn [or speaks clearly to me; L has opened my ear],
and I have not ·turned against him [rebelled]
nor ·stopped following him [turned away/back].
6 I offered my back to those who beat me.
I offered my cheeks to those who ·pulled [ripped out] my beard.
I ·won’t [or did not] hide my face from them
when they ·make fun of [mocked; insulted; shamed] me and spit at me [53:5; Matt. 26:67; 27:26; Mark 15:19; Luke 22:63].
7 The Lord God helps me,
so I will not be ·ashamed [disgraced].
I ·will be determined [L have set my face like flint; Ezek. 3:8–9],
and I know I will not be ·disgraced [put to shame].
8 He ·shows that I am innocent [vindicates], and he is ·close to me [near].
So who can ·accuse me [bring charges against me; Rom. 8:33–34]?
If there is someone, let us ·go to court [L stand up] together.
·If someone wants to prove I have done wrong [L Who are my accusers?],
he should ·come and tell [challenge; L come near] me.
9 Look! It is the Lord God who helps me.
So who can ·prove me guilty [condemn me]?
Look! All those who try will ·become useless like old clothes [wear out like a garment];
moths will eat them.
10 Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys his servant?
The person who walks in the dark without light
should trust in the [L name of the] Lord and depend on his God.
11 ·But instead [or Look; Behold], ·some of you want to [L all of you who] light your own fires
and make your own light.
So, go, walk in the light of your fires,
and trust ·your own light to guide you [the torches you have ignited].
But this is what you will receive from ·me [my hand]:
You will lie down in ·a place of pain [torment; C could refer to physical pain in the present world or to the torment of hell].
Isaiah 50
King James Version
50 Thus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
2 Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.
3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.
4 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.
5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
7 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
9 Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.
11 Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.
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