The Servant himself speaks in the opening song (vv. 1-13), addressing the isles and far peoples: Jehovah calls him from the womb, makes his mouth like a sharp sword, and names him "my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified." Though he protests that he has labored in vain, Jehovah enlarges the commission, beyond restoring Jacob, the Servant is given "for a light to the Gentiles," salvation to the end of the earth, the verse Paul and Barnabas cite in Acts 13:47. Kings and princes will arise and worship. Zion then complains that Jehovah has forsaken her, and the answer piles image on image: a nursing mother who cannot forget, Zion graven on Jehovah's palms, children crowding a land too narrow, kings as nursing fathers, prey wrested from the terrible, until all flesh knows Jehovah as Savior and Redeemer.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Prophecy · Isaiah — Isaiah overview

A. 1–7 A Light to the Gentiles: My Mouth Like a Sharp Sword
B. 8–13 Say to the Prisoners, Go Forth; Sing, O Heavens
C. 14–21 Graven Upon the Palms of My Hands
D. 22–26 Kings Shall Be Thy Nursing Fathers

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Isaiah 424 verses
- Isaiah 42:1Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
- Isaiah 42:6I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
- Isaiah 42:7To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
- Isaiah 42:16And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
- Read Isaiah 42 →
Isaiah 604 verses
- Isaiah 60:3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
- Isaiah 60:14The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
- Isaiah 60:16Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
- Isaiah 60:18Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
- Read Isaiah 60 →
Isaiah 443 verses
- Isaiah 44:2Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
- Isaiah 44:21Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
- Isaiah 44:23Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
- Read Isaiah 44 →
1 Peter 22 verses
- 1 Peter 2:4To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
- 1 Peter 2:9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
- Read 1 Peter 2 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Isaiah 542 verses
- Isaiah 54:1Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.
- Isaiah 54:15Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
- Read Isaiah 54 →
Isaiah 412 verses
- Isaiah 41:11Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.
- Isaiah 41:14Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
- Read Isaiah 41 →
Isaiah 351 verse
- Isaiah 35:4Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
- Read Isaiah 35 →
Jeremiah 11 verse
- Jeremiah 1:5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
- Read Jeremiah 1 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.