Chapter 49

Poetic Version

The Book of Isaiah

New Translation by Avraham Gileadi as compared with the King James Version

King James Translation Gileadi Translation

CHAPTER 49

Analytical Audio Commentary of Isaiah

 

שִׁמְעוּ אִיִּים אֵלַי וְהַקְשִׁיבוּ לְאֻמִּים מֵרָחוֹק יְהוָה מִבֶּטֶן קְרָאָנִי מִמְּעֵי אִמִּי הִזְכִּיר שְׁמִי ׃
1

 

49:1 LISTEN, O isles, unto me; and

hearken, ye people, from far; The

LORD hath called me from the womb;

from the bowels of my mother

hath he made mention of my name.

 

 

 

45:4

49:1 Hear me, O isles; listen, you distant peoples:

The Lord called me before I was in the belly;

before I was in my mother’s womb,

he mentioned me by name.

 

 

 

 

וַיָּשֶׂם פִּי כְּחֶרֶב חַדָּה בְּצֵל יָדוֹ הֶחְבִּיאָנִי וַיְשִׂימֵנִי לְחֵץ בָּרוּר בְּאַשְׁפָּתוֹ הִסְתִּירָנִי ׃
2

 

49:2 And he hath made my mouth like

a sharp sword; in the shadow of his

hand hath he hid me, and made me a

polished shaft; in his quiver hath he

hid me;

 

 

 

52:10

 

49:2 He has made my mouth like a sharp sword

in the shadowa of his hand he hid me.

He has made me into a polished arrow

in his quiver he kept me secret.

 

 

 

וַיֹּאמֶר לִי עַבְדִּי־אָתָּה יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר־בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר ׃
3

 

49:3 And said unto me, Thou art my

servant, O Israel, in whom I will be

glorified.

42:1

49:3 He said to me, You are my servant,

Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

 

 

 

וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי לְרִיק יָגַעְתִּי לְתֹהוּ וְהֶבֶל כֹּחִי כִלֵּיתִי אָכֵן מִשְׁפָּטִי אֶת־יְהוָה וּפְעֻלָּתִי אֶת־אֱלֹהָי ׃
4

 

49:4 Then I said, I have laboured in

vain, I have spent my strength for

nought, and in vain: yet surely my

judgment is with the LORD, and my

work with my God.

 

 

 

50:8-9

49:4 I had thought, I have labored in vain,

I have spent my strength for nothing

and to no purpose!

Yet my cause rested with the Lord,

my recompense with my God.

 

וְעַתָּה אָמַר יְהוָה יֹצְרִי מִבֶּטֶן לְעֶבֶד לוֹ לְשׁוֹבֵב יַעֲקֹב אֵלָיו וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא (לוֹ) יֵאָסֵף וְאֶכָּבֵד בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה וֵאלֹהַי הָיָה עֻזִּי ׃
5

 

49:5 ¶ And now, saith the LORD that

formed me from the womb to be his

servant, to bring Jacob again to

him, Though Israel be not gathered,

yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of

the LORD, and my God shall be my

strength.

 

 

43:1

 

 

12:2

49:5 For now the Lord has said—

he who formed me from the womb

to be his servant, to restore Jacob to him,

Israel having been gathered to him;

for I won honor in the eyes of the Lord

when my God became my strength—

 

וַיֹּאמֶר נָקֵל מִהְיוֹתְךָ לִי עֶבֶד לְהָקִים אֶת־שִׁבְטֵי יַעֲקֹב וּנְציּרֵי (וּנְצוּרֵי) יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהָשִׁיב וּנְתַתִּיךָ לְאוֹר גּוֹיִם לִהְיוֹת יְשׁוּעָתִי עַד־קְצֵה הָאָרֶץ ׃
6

 

49:6 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.

 

 

 

 

52:7

52:10

49:6 he said: It is too small a thing

for you to be my servant

to raise up the tribes of Jacob

and to restore those preserved of Israel.

I will also appoint you to be a light to the nations,b

that my salvation may be to the end of the earth.

 

כֹּה אָמַר־יְהוָה גֹּאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל קְדוֹשׁוֹ לִבְזֹה־נֶפֶשׁ לִמְתָעֵב גּוֹי לְעֶבֶד מֹשְׁלִים מְלָכִים יִרְאוּ וָקָמוּ שָׂרִים וְיִשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ לְמַעַן יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר נֶאֱמָן קְדֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּבְחָרֶךָּ ׃
7

 

49:7 Thus saith the LORD, the Re-

deemer of Israel, and his Holy One,

to him whom man despiseth, to him

whom the nation abhorreth, to a

servant of rulers, Kings shall see and

arise, princes also shall worship, be-

cause of the LORD that is faithful,

and the Holy One of Israel, and he

shall choose thee.

 

 

52:14

 

 

 

52:13

52:15

49:7 Thus says the Lord,

the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel,

to him who is despised as a person,

who is abhorred by his nation,

a servant to those in authority:

Kings shall rise up when they see you,

heads of state shall prostrate themselves,

because the Lord keeps faith with you,

because the Holy One of Israel has chosen you.

 

כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה בְּעֵת רָצוֹן עֲנִיתִיךָ וּבְיוֹם יְשׁוּעָה עֲזַרְתִּיךָ וְאֶצָּרְךָ וְאֶתֶּנְךָ לִבְרִית עָם לְהָקִים אֶרֶץ לְהַנְחִיל נְחָלוֹת שֹׁמֵמוֹת ׃
8

 

49:8 Thus saith the LORD, In an ac-

ceptable time have I heard thee,

and in a day of salvation have I

helped thee: and I will preserve thee,

and give thee for a covenant of the

people, to establish the earth, to

cause to inherit the desolate herit-

ages;

 

 

 

 

55:3-5

49:8 Thus says the Lord:

At a favorable time I have answered you;

in the day of salvation I have come to your aid:

I have created you and appointed you

to be a covenant of the people,

to restore the Land and reapportion the desolate estates,

 

לֵאמֹר לַאֲסוּרִים צֵאוּ לַאֲשֶׁר בַּחֹשֶׁךְ הִגָּלוּ עַל־דְּרָכִים יִרְעוּ וּבְכָל־שְׁפָיִים מַרְעִיתָם ׃
9

 

49:9 That thou mayest say to the

prisoners, Go forth; to them that

are in darkness, Shew yourselves.

They shall feed in the ways, and

their pastures shall be in all high

places.

 

42:6-7

 

40:11

49:9 to say to the captives, Come forth!

and to those in darkness, Show yourselves!

They shall feed along the way

and find pasture on all barren heights;

 

לֹא יִרְעָבוּ וְלֹא יִצְמָאוּ וְלֹא־יַכֵּם שָׁרָב וָשָׁמֶשׁ כִּי־מְרַחֲמָם יְנַהֲגֵם וְעַל־מַבּוּעֵי מַיִם יְנַהֲלֵם ׃
10

 

49:10 They shall not hunger nor

thirst; neither shall the heat nor

sun smite them: for he that hath

mercy on them shall lead them, even

by the springs of water shall he

guide them.

 

 

 

41:17-18

49:10 they shall not hunger or thirst,

nor be smitten by the heatwave or the sun:

he who has mercy on them will guide them;

he will lead them by springs of water.

 

וְשַׂמְתִּי כָל־הָרַי לַדָּרֶךְ וּמְסִלֹּתַי יְרֻמוּן ׃
11

 

49:11 And I will make all my moun-

tains a way, and my highways shall

be exalted.

 

49:11 All my mountain ranges I will appoint as roads;

my highways shall be on high.

 

הִנֵּה־אֵלֶּה מֵרָחוֹק יָבֹאוּ וְהִנֵּה־אֵלֶּה מִצָּפוֹן וּמִיָּם וְאֵלֶּה מֵאֶרֶץ סִינִים ׃
12

 

49:12 Behold, these shall come from

far: and, lo, these from the north

and from the west; and these from

the land of Sinim.

 

43:5-6

49:12 See these, coming from afar, these, from the northwest,

and these, from the land of Sinim.

 

רָנּוּ שָׁמַיִם וְגִילִי אָרֶץ יּפִצְחוּ (וּפִצְחוּ) הָרִים רִנָּה כִּי־נִחַם יְהוָה עַמּוֹ וַעֲנִיָּו יְרַחֵם ׃
13

 

49:13 ¶ Sing, O heavens; and be joy-

ful, O earth; and break forth into

singing, O mountains: for the LORD

hath comforted his people, and will

have mercy upon his afflicted.

 

 

 

40:1-2

49:13 Shout for joy, O heavens; celebrate, O earth!

Burst into song, O mountains!

The Lord is comforting his people,

showing compassion for his afflicted.

 

וַתֹּאמֶר צִיּוֹן עֲזָבַנִי יְהוָה וַאדֹנָי שְׁכֵחָנִי ׃
14

 

49:14 But Zion said, The LORD hath

forsaken me, and my Lord hath

forgotten me.

 

49:14 But Zion said, The Lord has forsaken me,

my Lord has forgotten me.

 

הֲתִשְׁכַּח אִשָּׁה עוּלָהּ מֵרַחֵם בֶּן־בִּטְנָהּ גַּם־אֵלֶּה תִשְׁכַּחְנָה וְאָנֹכִי לֹא אֶשְׁכָּחֵךְ ׃
15

 

49:15 Can a woman forget her suck-

ing child, that she should not have

compassion on the son of her womb?

yea, they may forget, yet will I not

forget thee.

 

49:15 Can a woman forget her suckling infant,

or feel no compassion for the child of her womb?

Although these shall forget, I will not forget you.

 

הֵן עַל־כַּפַּיִם חַקֹּתִיךְ חוֹמֹתַיִךְ נֶגְדִּי תָּמִיד ׃
16

 

49:16 Behold, I have graven thee upon

the palms of my hands; thy walls are

continually before me.

53:5

49:16 See, I have engraved you on my palms;

cI have sealed youc to be continually before me.

 

מִהֲרוּ בָּנָיִךְ מְהָרְסַיִךְ וּמַחֲרִבַיִךְ מִמֵּךְ יֵצֵאוּ ׃
17

 

49:17 Thy children shall make haste;

thy destroyers and they that made

thee waste shall go forth of thee.

 

49:17 Your sons shall hasten your ravagers away—

those who ruined you shall depart from you.

 

שְׂאִי־סָבִיב עֵינַיִךְ וּרְאִי כֻּלָּם נִקְבְּצוּ בָאוּ־לָךְ חַי־אָנִי נְאֻם־יְהוָה כִּי כֻלָּם כָּעֲדִי תִלְבָּשִׁי וּתְקַשְּׁרִים כַּכַּלָּה ׃
18

 

49:18 ¶ Lift up thine eyes round a-

bout, and behold: all these gather

themselves together, and come to

thee.  As I live, saith the LORD, thou

shalt surely clothe thee with them

all, as with an ornament, and bind

them on thee, as a bride doeth.

 

60:4

60:9

49:18 Lift up your eyes and look around you;

with one accord they gather and come to you.

As surely as I live, says the Lord,

you shall adorn yourself with them all as with jewels,

bind them on you as does a bride.

 

כִּי חָרְבֹתַיִךְ וְשֹׁמְמֹתַיִךְ וְאֶרֶץ הֲרִסֻתֵיךְ כִּי עַתָּה תֵּצְרִי מִיּוֹשֵׁב וְרָחֲקוּ מְבַלְּעָיִךְ ׃
19

 

49:19 For thy waste and thy desolate

places, and the land of thy destruc-

tion, shall even now be too narrow

by reason of the inhabitants, and

they that swallowed thee up shall be

far away.

1:7

49:19 For your ruins and ravaged places,

and your land laid waste,

shall now be too small for your inhabitants,

despite the departure of your devourers.

 

עוֹד יֹאמְרוּ בְאָזְנַיִךְ בְּנֵי שִׁכֻּלָיִךְ צַר־לִי הַמָּקוֹם גְּשָׁה־לִּי וְאֵשֵׁבָה ׃
20

 

49:20 The children which thou shalt

have, after thou hast lost the other,

shall say again in thine ears, The

place is too strait for me: give place

to me that I may dwell.

54:1

 

 

14:1-2

49:20 The children born during the time of your bereavement

shall yet say in your ears,

This place is too cramped for us;

give us space in which to settle!

 

וְאָמַרְתְּ בִּלְבָבֵךְ מִי יָלַד־לִי אֶת־אֵלֶּה וַאֲנִי שְׁכוּלָה וְגַלְמוּדָה גֹּלָה וְסוּרָה וְאֵלֶּה מִי גִדֵּל הֵן אֲנִי נִשְׁאַרְתִּי לְבַדִּי אֵלֶּה אֵיפֹה הֵם ׃
21

 

49:21 Then shalt thou say in thine

heart, Who hath begotten me these,

seeing I have lost my children, and

am desolate, a captive, and remov-

ing to and fro?  and who hath

brought up these?  Behold, I was left

alone; these, where had they been?

 

 

 

56:7-8

49:21 And you will say to yourself,

Who bore me these while I was bereaved and barren?

I was exiled, banished;

by whom were these reared?

When I was left to myself, where were they?

 

כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה הִנֵּה אֶשָּׂא אֶל־גּוֹיִם יָדִי וְאֶל־עַמִּים אָרִים נִסִּי וְהֵבִיאוּ בָנַיִךְ בְּחֹצֶן וּבְנֹתַיִךְ עַל־כָּתֵף תִּנָּשֶׂאנָה ׃
22

 

49:22 Thus saith the Lord GOD, Be-

hold, I will lift up mine hand to the

Gentiles, and set up my standard

to the people: and they shall bring

thy sons in their arms, and thy

daughters shall be carried upon their

shoulders.

 

 

11:10-12

49:22 Thus says my Lord the Lord:

I will lift up my hand to the nations,

raise my ensign to the peoples;

and they will bring your sons in their bosoms

and carry your daughters on their shoulders.

 

וְהָיוּ מְלָכִים אֹמְנַיִךְ וְשָׂרוֹתֵיהֶם מֵינִיקֹתַיִךְ אַפַּיִם אֶרֶץ יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לָךְ וַעֲפַר רַגְלַיִךְ יְלַחֵכוּ וְיָדַעַתְּ כִּי־אֲנִי יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יֵבֹשׁוּ קֹוָי ׃
23

 

49:23 And kings shall be thy nursing

fathers, and their queens thy nurs-

ing mothers: they shall bow down

to thee with their face toward the

earth, and lick up the dust of thy

feet; and thou shalt know that I

am the LORD: for they shall not be

ashamed that wait for me.

60:10-11

 

 

45:14

 

 

40:31

49:23 Kings shall be your foster fathers,

queens your nursing mothers.

They will bow down before you,

their faces to the ground;

they will lick the dust of your feet.

Then shall you know that I am the Lord,

and that they who hope in me are not disappointed.

 

הֲיֻקַּח מִגִּבּוֹר מַלְקוֹחַ וְאִם־שְׁבִי צַדִּיק יִמָּלֵט ׃
24

 

49:24 ¶ Shall the prey be taken from

the mighty, or the lawful captive

delivered?

 

49:24 Can the warrior’s spoil be taken from him,

or the tyrant’sd captives escape free?

 

כִּי־כֹה אָמַר יְהוָה גַּם־שְׁבִי גִבּוֹר יֻקָּח וּמַלְקוֹחַ עָרִיץ יִמָּלֵט וְאֶת־יְרִיבֵךְ אָנֹכִי אָרִיב וְאֶת־בָּנַיִךְ אָנֹכִי אוֹשִׁיעַ ׃
25

 

49:25 But thus saith the LORD, Even

the captives of the mighty shall be

taken away, and the prey of the ter-

rible shall be delivered: for I will

contend with him that contendeth

with thee, and I will save thy chil-

dren.

10:5-6

 

 

 

9:4

49:25 Yet thus says the Lord: The warrior’s spoile

shall indeed be taken from him,

and the tyrant’s captivesf escape free:

I myself will contend with your contenders,

and I will deliver your children.

 

וְהַאֲכַלְתִּי אֶת־מוֹנַיִךְ אֶת־בְּשָׂרָם וְכֶעָסִיס דָּמָם יִשְׁכָּרוּן וְיָדְעוּ כָל־בָּשָׂר כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה מוֹשִׁיעֵךְ וְגֹאֲלֵךְ אֲבִיר יַעֲקֹב ׃
26

 

49:26 And I will feed them that op-

press thee with their own flesh; and

they shall be drunken with their

own blood, as with sweet wine: and

all flesh shall know that I the LORD

am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer,

the mighty One of Jacob.

 

 

 

60:16

49:26 I will feed your oppressors with their own flesh;

they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.

And all flesh shall know that I the Lord am your Savior,

that your Redeemer is the Valiant One of Jacob.

 

 

 

     a2  Also, guise.

     b6  Also, Gentiles; compare verse 49:22; 42:1; 42:6.

     c16  Hebrew homotayik, your walls, emended to hatamtik.

     d24  So 1QIsaa; LXX. MT saddiq, the righteous one’s.

     e24  So 1QIsaa; LXX. MT captives.

     f24  So 1QIsaa; LXX. MT spoil.