The Servant, Israel’s Hope

50 Thus says the Lord:

“Where is (A)the certificate of your mother’s divorce,
Whom I have put away?
Or which of My (B)creditors is it to whom I have sold you?
For your iniquities (C)you have sold yourselves,
And for your transgressions your mother has been put away.
Why, when I came, was there no man?
Why, 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?
Indeed with My (D)rebuke I dry up the sea,
I make the rivers a wilderness;
Their fish stink because there is no water,
And die of thirst.
(E)I clothe the heavens with blackness,
(F)And I make sackcloth their covering.”

“The(G) 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 (H)weary.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear
To hear as the learned.
The Lord God (I)has opened My ear;
And I was not (J)rebellious,
Nor did I turn away.
(K)I gave My back to those who struck Me,
And (L)My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard;
I did not hide My face from shame and (M)spitting.

“For the Lord God will help Me;
Therefore I will not be disgraced;
Therefore (N)I have set My face like a flint,
And I know that I will not be ashamed.
(O)He is near who justifies Me;
Who will contend with Me?
Let us stand together.
Who is [a]My adversary?
Let him come near Me.
Surely the Lord God will help Me;
Who is he who will condemn Me?
(P)Indeed they will all grow old like a garment;
(Q)The moth will eat them up.

10 “Who among you fears the Lord?
Who obeys the voice of His Servant?
Who (R)walks in darkness
And has no light?
(S)Let him trust in the name of the Lord
And rely upon his God.
11 Look, all you who kindle a fire,
Who encircle yourselves with sparks:
Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled—
(T)This you shall have from My hand:
You shall lie down (U)in torment.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 50:8 Lit. master of My judgment

Israel’s Sin and the Servant’s Obedience

50 This is what the Lord says:

“Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce(A)
    with which I sent her away?
Or to which of my creditors
    did I sell(B) you?
Because of your sins(C) you were sold;(D)
    because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
When I came, why was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?(E)
Was my arm too short(F) to deliver you?
    Do I lack the strength(G) to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke(H) I dry up the sea,(I)
    I turn rivers into a desert;(J)
their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
I clothe the heavens with darkness(K)
    and make sackcloth(L) its covering.”

The Sovereign Lord(M) has given me a well-instructed tongue,(N)
    to know the word that sustains the weary.(O)
He wakens me morning by morning,(P)
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.(Q)
The Sovereign Lord(R) has opened my ears;(S)
    I have not been rebellious,(T)
    I have not turned away.
I offered my back to those who beat(U) me,
    my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;(V)
I did not hide my face
    from mocking and spitting.(W)
Because the Sovereign Lord(X) helps(Y) me,
    I will not be disgraced.
Therefore have I set my face like flint,(Z)
    and I know I will not be put to shame.(AA)
He who vindicates(AB) me is near.(AC)
    Who then will bring charges against me?(AD)
    Let us face each other!(AE)
Who is my accuser?
    Let him confront me!
It is the Sovereign Lord(AF) who helps(AG) me.
    Who will condemn(AH) me?
They will all wear out like a garment;
    the moths(AI) will eat them up.

10 Who among you fears(AJ) the Lord
    and obeys(AK) the word of his servant?(AL)
Let the one who walks in the dark,
    who has no light,(AM)
trust(AN) in the name of the Lord
    and rely on their God.
11 But now, all you who light fires
    and provide yourselves with flaming torches,(AO)
go, walk in the light of your fires(AP)
    and of the torches you have set ablaze.
This is what you shall receive from my hand:(AQ)
    You will lie down in torment.(AR)

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.

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.

I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

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.

The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience

50 Thus says the Lord:
“Where is (A)your mother's certificate of divorce,
    with which (B)I sent her away?
Or (C)which of my creditors is it
    to whom I have sold you?
(D)Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,
    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
(E)Why, when I came, was there no man;
    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?
(F)Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?
    Or have I no power to deliver?
(G)Behold, by my rebuke (H)I dry up the sea,
    (I)I make the rivers a desert;
(J)their fish stink for lack of water
    and die of thirst.
(K)I clothe the heavens with blackness
    and make sackcloth their covering.”

The Lord God has given (L)me
    the tongue of those who are taught,
that (M)I may know how to sustain with a word
    (N)him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
    he awakens my ear
    to hear as those who are taught.
(O)The Lord God has opened my ear,
    (P)and I was not rebellious;
    I turned not backward.
(Q)I gave my back to those who strike,
    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
    from disgrace and spitting.

But the Lord God helps me;
    therefore I have not been disgraced;
(R)therefore I have set my face like a flint,
    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
    (S)He who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
    Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
    Let him come near to me.
(T)Behold, the Lord God helps me;
    who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;
    the moth will eat them up.

10 Who among you fears the Lord
    and obeys (U)the voice of his servant?
(V)Let him who walks in darkness
    and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
    and rely on his God.
11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
    who equip yourselves with burning torches!
Walk by the light of your fire,
    and by the torches that you have kindled!
(W)This you have from my hand:
    you shall lie down in torment.