Isaiah 49 - GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

The Lord’s Servant Will Bring Salvation to the Nations

49 Listen to me, you islands.
Pay attention, you people far away.
Before I was born, the Lord chose me.
While I was in my mother’s womb, he recorded my name.
2 He made my tongue like a sharp sword
and hid me in the palm of his hand.
He made me like a sharpened arrow
and hid me in his quiver.

3 He said to me,
“You are my servant Israel.
I will display my glory through you.”
4 But I said,
“I have worked hard for nothing.
I have used my strength, but I didn’t accomplish anything.
Yet, certainly my case is in the Lord’s hands,
and my reward is with my God.”

5 The Lord formed me in the womb to be his servant
in order to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to him.
(The Lord honors me,
and my God has become my strength.)

6 Now, the Lord says,

“You are not just my servant
who restores the tribes of Jacob
and brings back those in Israel whom I have preserved.
I have also made you a light for the nations
so that you would save people all over the world.”

7 The Lord is the defender of Israel, its Holy One.

This is what the Lord says to the despised one, to the one scorned by the nation, to the slave of rulers:

Kings will see ⌞you⌟ and stand.
Princes will see ⌞you⌟ and bow.
The Lord is faithful.
The Holy One of Israel has chosen you.

8 This is what the Lord says:

In the time of favor I will answer you.
In the day of salvation I will help you.
I will protect you.
I will appoint you as my promise [a] to the people.
You will restore the land.
You will make them inherit the desolate inheritance.
9 You will say to the prisoners, “Come out,”
and to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.”

They will graze along every path,
and they will find pastures on every bare hill.
10 They will never be hungry or thirsty,
nor will the sun or the burning, hot wind strike them.
The one who has compassion on them will lead them
and guide them to springs.
11 I will turn all my mountains into roads,
and my highways will be restored.
12 They will come from far away.
They will come from the north and from the west,
and they will come from the land of Sinim.

13 Sing with joy, you heavens!
Rejoice, you earth!
Break into shouts of joy, you mountains!
The Lord has comforted his people
and will have compassion on his humble people.

The Lord Has Not Forgotten Israel

14 But Zion said, “The Lord has abandoned me.
My Lord has forgotten me.”

15 Can a woman forget her nursing child?
Will she have no compassion on the child from her womb?
Although mothers may forget,
I will not forget you.
16 I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.
Your walls are always in my presence.
17 Your children will hurry back.
Those who destroyed you and laid waste to you will leave you.
18 Look up, look around, and watch!
All of your children are gathering together and returning to you.
“I solemnly swear as I live,” declares the Lord,
“you will wear all of them like jewels
and display them on yourself as a bride would.”

19 Though you are destroyed and demolished and your land is in ruins,
you will be too crowded for ⌞your⌟ people now.
Those who devoured you will be long gone.
20 The children taken from you will say to you,
“This place is too crowded for me.
Make room for me to live here.”
21 Then you will ask yourself,
“Who has fathered these ⌞children⌟ for me?
I was childless and unable to have children.
I was exiled and rejected.
Who raised these ⌞children for me⌟?
I was left alone.
Where have they come from?”

22 This is what the Almighty Lord says:

I will lift my hand ⌞to signal⌟ the nations.
I will raise my flag for the people.
They will bring your sons in their arms
and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
23 Then kings will be your foster fathers,
and their queens will nurse you.
They will bow in front of you
with their faces touching the ground.
They will lick the dust at your feet.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.
Those who wait with hope for me will not be put to shame.

24 Can loot be taken away from mighty men
or prisoners be freed from conquerors?

25 This is what the Lord says:

Prisoners will be freed from mighty men.
Loot will be taken away from tyrants.
I will fight your enemies,
and I will save your children.
26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,
and they will become drunk on their own blood
as though it were new wine.
Then all humanity will know that I am the Lord, who saves you,
the Mighty One of Jacob, who reclaims you.

Footnotes

  1. 49:8 Or “covenant.”

You Might Also Like:

Isaiah 49 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

49 Hearken, O isles, unto me, And attend, O peoples, from afar, Jehovah from the womb hath called me, From the bowels of my mother He hath made mention of my name. 2 And he maketh my mouth as a sharp sword, In the shadow of His hand He hath hid me, And He maketh me for a clear arrow, In His quiver H...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

49 Isles, hear ye, and peoples afar, perceive ye; the Lord called me from the womb, he thought on my name from the womb of my mother. (Islands, hear ye, and peoples afar off, understand ye; the Lord called me from the womb, he thought about me from my mother’s womb.) 2 And he hath set my mouth as a ...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - World English Bible (WEB)

49 Listen, islands, to me. Listen, you peoples, from afar:Yahweh has called me from the womb; from the inside of my mother, he has mentioned my name.2 He has made my mouth like a sharp sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand.He has made me a polished shaft. He has kept me close in his quiv...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - The Voice (VOICE)

True peace begins with knowing God. Those who listen and live by His teachings find that wholeness and goodness flood into their lives. The wicked, however, face a different reality; they live with constant danger and problems.49 Listen to this, everyone—near and far: The Eternal One singled me out,...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Second Servant Song: Light of the Nations49 Listen, to Me, islands!Pay attention, peoples far away.Adonai called Me from the womb,from My mother’s belly He named Me.2 He made My mouth like a sharp sword.In the shadow of His hand He hid Me.He made Me a polished arrow,He has hidden Me in His quiver.3 ...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Servant’s Mission49 Listen to me, O coastlands,and hearken, you peoples from afar.The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me;he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away.3 A...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Servant’s Mission49 Listen to me, O coastlands,and hearken, you peoples from afar.The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me;he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away.3 A...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

The Servant’s Mission49 Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away!The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me;he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid ...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Servant’s Mission49 Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away!The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me;he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid ...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Servant’s Mission49 Listen to me, O coastlands; pay attention, you peoples from far away!The Lord called me before I was born; while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.(A)2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me;he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he h...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Lord’s Servant Commissioned49 Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away!The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name.2 He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. I am like a shar...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - New Life Version (NLV)

The Servant of the Lord49 Listen to Me, O islands. Listen, you people from far away. The Lord called Me before I was born. From the body of My mother he said My name. 2 He has made My mouth like a sharp sword. He has hidden Me in the shadow of His hand. He has made Me a shining arrow, keeping Me in...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Servant, the Light to the Gentiles49 “Listen, (A)O coastlands, to Me,And take heed, you peoples from afar!(B)The Lord has called Me from the womb;From the [a]matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.2 And He has made (C)My mouth like a sharp sword;(D)In the shadow of His hand He has hi...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

The servant of the Lord49 Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations:before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me;he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in hi...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - New International Version (NIV)

The Servant of the Lord49 Listen(A) to me, you islands;(B) hear this, you distant nations:Before I was born(C) the Lord called(D) me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.(E)2 He made my mouth(F) like a sharpened sword,(G) in the shadow of his hand(H) he hid me;he made me into a polished arro...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

The Servant of the Lord49 People who live on the islands, listen to me. Pay attention, you nations far away.Before I was born the Lord chose me to serve him. Before I was born the Lord spoke my name.2 He made my words like a sharp sword. He hid me in the palm of his hand.He made me into a sharpened ...
Read More

Isaiah 49 - New English Translation (NET)

Delivery of the Exiles49 Listen to me, you coastlands![a]Pay attention, you people who live far away!The Lord summoned me from birth;[b]he commissioned me when my mother brought me into the world.[c]2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword,he hid me in the hollow of his hand;he made me like a sharpened...
Read More