Isaiah 50:4
in Isaiah 50The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of discipleship, to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of them that are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as they that are taught.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Isaiah 50
Commentary
4 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
13:54). speak a word in season-- (Pr 15:23; Literally, "to succor by words," namely, in their season of need, the "weary" dispersed ones of Israel (De 28:65-67).
This site's exposition
the tongue of the learned
The Lord God has given the servant the tongue of the learned, a disciple's speech rather than a natural gift, so that he may speak a word in season to him that is weary. The gift is renewed daily rather than granted once: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned, a discipline of listening that precedes any word spoken. Delitzsch reads the verse as the servant's own testimony to a daily dependence, the ear opened before the tongue is used.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Given me - This and the following passages may be in some sort understood of the prophet Isaiah, but they are far more evidently and eminently verified in Christ, and indeed seem to be meant directly of him.
God, who made man's mouth, gave Moses the tongue of the learned, to speak for the terror and conviction of Pharaoh, Exod. iv. He gave to Christ the tongue of the learned, to speak a word in season for the comfort of those that are weary and heavily laden under the burden of sin, Matt. xi. Grace was poured into his lips, and they are said to drop sweet-smelling myrrh.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
gave me a tongue for teaching Isaiah was saying, The Lord sent me and gave me a tongue fit to teach, in order to know to establish a time for the faint and thirsty to hear the words of the Holy One, blessed be He.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֲדֹנָ֣י | ʾadonai | [the] Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| יְהֹוִ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3069 → | 306 times |
| נָ֤תַן | natan | he has given | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לִי֙ | li | to me | ||
| לְשׁ֣וֹן | leshon | a tongue of | H3956 → | 117 times |
| לִמּוּדִ֔ים | limudim | disciples | H3928 → | 6 times |
| לָדַ֛עַת | ladaat | to know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| לָע֥וּת | laut | to help | H5790 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יָעֵ֖ף | yaef | [the] weary | H3287 → | |
| דָּבָ֑ר | davar | a word | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| יָעִ֣יר׀ | yair | he awakens | H5782 → | 80 times |
| בַּבֹּ֣קֶר | baboker | in the morning | H1242 → | 214 times |
| בַּבֹּ֗קֶר | baboker | in the morning | H1242 → | 214 times |
| יָעִ֥יר | yair | he awakens | H5782 → | 80 times |
| לִי֙ | li | of me | ||
| אֹ֔זֶן | ʾozen | ear | H241 → | 187 times |
| לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ | lishmoa' | to hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| כַּלִּמּוּדִֽים׃ | kalimudim | like <the> disciples | H3928 → | 6 times |
אֲדֹנָ֣י[the] Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
יְהֹוִ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3069 →306 times
נָ֤תַןhe has given
natanH5414 →2011 times
לִי֙to me
li
לְשׁ֣וֹןa tongue of
leshonH3956 →117 times
לִמּוּדִ֔יםdisciples
limudimH3928 →6 times
לָדַ֛עַתto know
ladaatH3045 →945 times
לָע֥וּתto help
lautH5790 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יָעֵ֖ף[the] weary
yaefH3287 →
דָּבָ֑רa word
davarH1697 →1440 times
יָעִ֣יר׀he awakens
yairH5782 →80 times
בַּבֹּ֣קֶרin the morning
babokerH1242 →214 times
בַּבֹּ֗קֶרin the morning
babokerH1242 →214 times
יָעִ֥ירhe awakens
yairH5782 →80 times
לִי֙of me
li
אֹ֔זֶןear
ʾozenH241 →187 times
לִשְׁמֹ֖עַto hear
lishmoa'H8085 →1159 times
כַּלִּמּוּדִֽים׃like <the> disciples
kalimudimH3928 →6 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
Jeremiah 1:9Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
it leads to
- Exodus 4:11–12
And the LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, the sighted or the blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 12:12
For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 21:15
For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
- Isaiah 51:16
I have put My words in your mouth, and covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’”
- Matthew 10:19
But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say.
- Exodus 4:11–12
Through
Luke 21:15For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 1:9
Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
- Ephesians 6:19
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel,
- Acts 6:10
but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
- Jeremiah 1:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Isaiah
This page draws on Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.