Isaiah 41:8
in Isaiah 41“But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend—
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But thou, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend,
KJV
But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
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This verse in Isaiah 41
Commentary
14 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Contrast between the idolatrous nations whom God will destroy by Cyrus, and Israel whom God will deliver by the same man for their forefathers' sake. servant--so termed as being chosen by God to worship Him themselves, and to lead other peoples to do the same (Isa 45:4). Jacob . . . chosen-- (Ps 135:4). my friend--literally, "loving me."
This site's exposition
But you, O Israel, My servant
on Isaiah 41:8-10
Against the frightened nations stands Israel, My servant, Jacob, descendant of Abraham My friend. The reassurance rises to the chapter's best known line, Do not fear, for I am with you. Every verb of the promise is first person, I will strengthen you, I will surely help you.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Since the seed of Abraham is spread over all the earth, he speaks about this.… In the same way Paul the apostle shows the Jews, "first it was necessary that the word be proclaimed to you, but since you turn away, we are going to the Gentiles." Isaiah addresses those among them, therefore, who would obey the calling and the Gospel word that is handed on: "You whom I took from the ends of the earth and called from its farthest corners." Many from the Jews, during the apostolic times, handed on the word of Christ, not only to the land of Judah but also to the rest of the nations. For the seed of Abraham rises quickly, until the time when God remembers the election of the apostolic chorus, and he says to them, "you are my son," or, according to the other interpretations, "you are my servant; I have chosen you and not abandoned you." Probably the divine apostle equates the servant with himself, made present as one worthy of the honor of being a servant of the Savior, since also from the first the word proclaimed this, saying, "great to you are those called 'my servant.' "
To Israel [Isaiah] awards praise at one time, then later addresses accusations. Far from acting in a contradictory manner, he does things in consonance. For those who believe are descendants of Israel, as are also those who crucified Jesus. It is, therefore, natural that [Isaiah] …
A commentator
Clement of RomeClement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 10 · Written before 99.
proposed
Abraham, styled "the friend," [Isaiah 41:8] was found faithful, inasmuch as he rendered obedience to the words of God. He, in the exercise of obedience, went out from his own country, and from his kindred, and from his father's house, in order that, by forsaking a small territory, and a weak family, and an insignificant house, he might inherit the promises of God. For God said to him, "Get you out from your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house, into the land which I shall show you. And I will make you a great nation, and will bless you, and make your name great, and you shall be blessed. And I will bless them that bless you, and curse them that curse you; and in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed." [Genesis 12:1-3] And again, on his departing from Lot, God said to him, "Lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you now are, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your seed forever. And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth, [so that] if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall your seed also be numbered." [Genesis 13:14-16] And again [the Scripture] says, "God brought forth Abram, and spoke unto him, Look up now to heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them; so shall your seed be. And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness." [Genesis 15:5-6] On account of his faith and hospitality, a son was given him in his old age; and in the exercise of obedience, he offered him as a sacrifice to God on one of the mountains which He showed him. [Genesis 22:9]
(Verses 8-9) And you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend. I have taken hold of you from the ends of the earth, and summoned you from its farthest corners. I said to you, 'You are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.'
The Medieval Church1 voice
806. But you Israel. In this part, he strengthens the Jews by the same benefits. And first is set out the repetition of past benefits in the election of their fathers Jacob and Abraham, in whom they were distinguished from others universally: Jacob whom I …
7 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
He is the righteous man whom God raised up from the east. Of him the Chaldee paraphrast expressly understands it: Who brought Abraham publicly from the east? To maintain the honour of the people of Israel, it was very proper to show what a figure this great ancestor of theirs made in his day; and
Those that make them are like unto them, and so is every one that trusts in them; but thou, O Israel! art the servant of a better Master." Observe what is suggested here for the encouragement of God's people when they are threatened and insulted over.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
But thou, Israel, art my servant,....
He encourages his faithful ones to trust in him, with an assurance that he would take their part against their enemies, make them victorious over them, and bring about a happy change of their affairs,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
ABRAHAM was called the Friend of God because he was so. The title only declares a fact. The Father of the faithful was, beyond all men, "the Friend of God," and the head of that chosen race of Believers whom Jesus calls His friends. The name is rightly given. We read that "whatever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And we may be much more sure that whatever name the Spirit of God has given to any man, that is his proper and right name.
ABRAHAM was called the Friend of God because he was so. The title only declares a fact. The Father of the faithful was, beyond all men, "the Friend of God," and the head of that chosen race of Believers whom Jesus calls His friends. The name is rightly given. We read that "whatever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And we may be much more sure that whatever name the Spirit of God has given to any man, that is his proper and right name. James says not only that this was Abraham's name, but that he was called by it. The name does not occur in his life as given in the Book of Genesis and it has been questioned whether it occurs anywhere else in Holy Scripture, for many have preferred to translate the word in Isaiah and in 2 Chronicles 20:7, as, "lover," or, "beloved," rather than, "friend." However this may be, it is quite certain that among the Jewish people, Abraham was frequently spoken of as, "the Friend of God." At this present moment, among the Arabs and other Muslims, the name of Abraham is not often mentioned, but they speak of him as Khalil Allah, or, the "Friend of God," or more briefly as El Khalil, "the Friend." Those tribes which boast of their descent from him through Ishmael, or through the sons of Keturah, greatly reverence the Patriarch and are known to speak of him under the name which the Holy Spirit here ascribes to him. It is a noble title, not to be equaled by all the names of greatness which have been bestowed by princes, even if they should all meet in one. Patents of nobility are mere vanity when laid side by side with this transcendent honor. I think I hear you say, "Yes, it was indeed a high degree to which Abraham reached—so high that we cannot attain unto it.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But thou, Israel, art my servant - This is an address directly to the Jews, and is designed to show them, in view of the truths which had just been urged, that God was their protector and friend. Those who relied on idols were trusting to that which could not aid them. But those who trusted in him were safe. For their protection he had raised up Cyrus, for this purpose he had subdued the nations before him.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאַתָּה֙ | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל | yisrael | O Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| עַבְדִּ֔י | ʾavdi | servant my | H5650 → | 799 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֖ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בְּחַרְתִּ֑יךָ | bechartikha | I have chosen you | H977 → | 171 times |
| זֶ֖רַע | zera' | [the] offspring of | H2233 → | 229 times |
| אַבְרָהָ֥ם | ʾavraham | Abraham | H85 → | 175 times |
| אֹהֲבִֽי׃ | ʾohavi | friend my | H157 → | 211 times |
וְאַתָּה֙and you
veatahH859 →1094 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֣לO Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
עַבְדִּ֔יservant my
ʾavdiH5650 →799 times
יַעֲקֹ֖בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בְּחַרְתִּ֑יךָI have chosen you
bechartikhaH977 →171 times
זֶ֖רַע[the] offspring of
zera'H2233 →229 times
אַבְרָהָ֥םAbraham
ʾavrahamH85 →175 times
אֹהֲבִֽי׃friend my
ʾohaviH157 →211 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 2:23And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
it leads to
- Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
- 2 Chronicles 20:7
Our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend?
- Galatians 3:6
So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
- Romans 4:22–24
This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
- Genesis 15:6
Through
Deuteronomy 14:2for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all the peoples on the face of the…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 7:6
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of…
- Leviticus 20:26
You are to be holy to Me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My own.
- Exodus 19:5–6
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
- Deuteronomy 26:18–19
And today the LORD has proclaimed that you are His people and treasured possession as He promised, that you are to keep all His commandments,
- Deuteronomy 7:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Isaiah
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1962: “The Friend of God” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Clement of Rome, Clement's First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 10; Eusebius of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:20; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 12:41.8 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.