Isaiah 49

1 Listen [hear and obey] to Me, O islands [coastlands, distant lands]; pay attention [listen carefully], O distant [far away, from afar] peoples: The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] called [summoned, appointed] Me from the womb [belly, place of birth]; from the body [bowels, innermost part] of My mother [female parent, nurturer] He named [made mention of, remembered] Me [gave Me My identity, character]. word study 2 He made My mouth [a cutting instrument] like a sharp [keen, piercing] sword; He hid Me [protected, concealed] in the shadow [dark area, shade] of His hand [power, direction]. He made Me like a polished [refined, purified] arrow; He hid Me [kept Me close, concealed] in His quiver [container, secret place]. word study 3 He said to Me, “You are My Servant [My attendant, one who serves Me], Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants], in whom [through whom, by means of whom] I will display [be glorified, beautify Myself] My glory [My splendor, My majestic presence].” word study 4 But I said, “I have labored [to no purpose] in vain [without result, emptily], I have spent My strength [power, might] in futility [emptiness, worthlessness] and vanity [transitory, unsatisfactory]; yet My vindication [justice, right] is with the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], and My reward [wages, recompense] is with My God [Elohim, the one true God].” word study 5 And now [at this moment, in this time] says the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], who formed [shaped, molded] Me from the womb [belly, the seat of life] to be His Servant [slave, bondservant], to bring Jacob [the father of the Israelites] back to Him, that Israel [the descendants of Jacob] might be gathered [collected, reunited] to Him— for I am honored [glorified, esteemed] in the sight [presence, eyes] of the LORD, and My God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] is My strength [power, might]— word study 6 He says: “It is not enough [a light thing, insignificant] for You to be My Servant [attendee, minister], to raise up [restore, revive] the tribes [family groups, clans] of Jacob, and to restore [return, bring back] the protected ones [preserved, kept safe] of Israel. I will also make You a light [source of spiritual illumination, guidance] for the nations [Gentiles, non-Jews], to bring My salvation [deliverance, rescue] to the ends [farthest reaches, utmost parts] of the earth [land, world].” word study 7 Thus says the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the Redeemer [the one who buys back, restores] and Holy One [set apart, sacred] of Israel, to Him who was despised [rejected, looked down upon] and abhorred [detested, hated] by the nation, to the Servant [slave, one who serves] of rulers: “Kings will see You and rise [stand up, take notice], and princes [rulers, leaders] will bow down [worship, show respect], because of the LORD [the faithful, trustworthy God], who is faithful [reliable, dependable], the Holy One [the sacred, set apart One] of Israel, who has chosen [selected, picked out] You.” word study 8 This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: “In the time [season, occasion] of favor [acceptance, delight] I will answer [respond, sing] You, and in the day [period, era] of salvation [deliverance, victory] I will help [aid, assist] You; I will keep [watch, guard] You and appoint [give, set] You to be a covenant [promise, agreement] for the people [nation, community], to restore [raise up, rebuild] the land [earth, territory], to apportion [inherit, possess] its desolate [devastated, empty] inheritances [property, heritage], word study 9 to say [to proclaim, declare] to the prisoners [those bound, captives], ‘Come out [go forth, be freed],’ and to those in darkness [in spiritual gloom, misery], ‘Show yourselves [be revealed, shine].’ They will feed [graze, be nourished] along the pathways [roads, journeys], and find pasture [food, sustenance] on every barren [desolate, treeless] hill. word study 10 They will not [never experience] hunger or [be afflicted with] thirst, nor will scorching [intense, parching] heat or sun [the celestial body] beat down on them. For He who has [shows, exercises] compassion [mercy, loving-kindness] on them will guide [lead, direct] them and lead [conduct, escort] them beside [near, alongside] springs [fountains, sources] of water [refreshment, spiritual nourishment]. word study 11 I will turn [make a way, cause to become a road] all My mountains [hills] into roads [paths, ways], and My highways [public roads, raised pathways] will be raised up [exalted, lifted high] [to a lofty position, in triumph]. word study 12 Behold [look, see], they will come from far away [distant, from afar], from the north [Zaphon, the northern direction] and from the west [the sea, the Mediterranean], and from the land [earth, territory] of Aswan [Sinim, a distant Oriental region, possibly Syene]. ” word study 13 Shout for joy [with triumphant singing], O heavens [the visible universe]; rejoice [be glad, celebrate], O earth [the land, the material world]; break forth [burst out, erupt] in song, O mountains [hills]! For the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has comforted [shown pity, consoled] His people [nation, community], and He will have compassion [show love, mercy] on His afflicted ones [those who are depressed, humble, or weak]. word study 14 But Zion [the city of God, Jerusalem] said, “The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has forsaken [abandoned, loosened] me; the Lord [Adonay, a title of reverence] has forgotten [been oblivious to, misplaced] me [from His memory, out of His mind]!” word study 15 “Can a woman [a mother, female parent] forget her nursing child [suckling infant, baby], or lack compassion [pity, mercy, to have compassion] for the son [child, descendant] of her womb [belly, the seat of emotions]? Even if she could forget [be oblivious, mislay], I [the Lord] will not forget [be mindful of, remember] you! word study 16 Behold [look, see, take notice], I have inscribed [engraved, graven, written] you on the palms [the inner part] of My hands [as a reminder]; your walls [strongholds, fortifications, city walls] are ever [continually, always, at all times] before [in front of, in My sight, in My presence] Me. word study 17 Your builders [who reconstruct and restore] hasten [to hurry, make haste] back; your destroyers [those who overthrow and demolish] and wreckers [those who lay waste and devastate] depart [go out, leave] from you. word study 18 Lift up your eyes [round about, to see from every direction] and look around [behold, observe carefully]. They all [every one of them, collectively] gather together [assemble, come from all sides]; they come to you [approach, draw near]. As surely as I [the Lord] live [am alive, have eternal life],” declares the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God], “you will wear them all [clothe yourself with them, put them on like a garment] as jewelry [an ornament, a beautiful adornment] and put them on [bind them around you, tie them securely] like a bride [a daughter-in-law, a beloved companion]. word study 19 For your ruined [desolate, waste] and desolate [laid waste, destroyed] places and your ravaged [devastated, destroyed] land will now [at this time, in this moment] indeed be too small [narrow, cramped] for your people, and those who devoured [swallowed up, consumed] you will be far away [removed, separated]. word study 20 Yet the children [sons, descendants] of your bereavement [state of childlessness, loss of children] will say [speak, declare] in your hearing [ears, ability to hear], ‘This place [location, region] is too small [narrow, strait] for us; make room [give place, provide space] for us to live [dwell, reside] here [in this location].’ word study 21 Then you will say in your [mind and emotions] heart, ‘Who has begotten [given birth to, brought into existence] these for me? I was bereaved [lost my children, barren] and [completely] barren; I was exiled [led away, captive] and rejected [turned aside, forsaken]. So who has reared [nourished, brought up] them? Look [behold, see], I was left all alone [by myself, solitary], so where did they come from [where are they from, what is their origin]?’” word study 22 This is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah] says: “Behold [look, take notice], I will lift up [exalt, raise high] My hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] to the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples], and raise [lift, exalt] My banner [ensign, standard] to the peoples [nations, tribes]. They will bring your sons [children, descendants] in their arms [bosom, loving embrace] and carry your daughters [female children, beloved ones] on their shoulders [in a place of honor and strength]. word study 23 Kings [rulers, monarchs] will be your foster fathers, and their queens [female nobles, princesses] your nursing mothers [those who give spiritual nourishment]. They will bow [prostrate themselves, worship] to you facedown [with their faces toward the earth, in humility] and lick [gently touch with their tongues, honor] the dust [dry earth] at your feet. Then you will know [be certain, understand] that I am the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God]; those who hope [wait patiently, trust] in Me will never be put to shame [disappointed, ashamed].” word study 24 Can the plunder [spoils of war, prey] be snatched from the mighty [strong man, warrior], or the captives [prisoners of war, lawful captive] of a tyrant [cruel one, dictator] be delivered [set free, escape]? word study 25 Indeed, this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: “Even the captives [prisoners of war, those taken away] of the mighty [strong, powerful warriors] will be taken away, and the plunder [prey, spoils of war] of the tyrant [ruthless, cruel oppressor] will be retrieved; I will contend [strive, argue] with those who contend [oppose, strive] with you, and I will save [deliver, rescue] your children [sons, descendants]. word study 26 I will make your oppressors [those who treat you violently, your enemies] eat their own flesh [their own bodies, as a form of judgment]; they will be drunk [intoxicated, staggering] on their own blood [the very life force that sustains them], as with wine [sweet, fermented drink]. Then all mankind [every human being, all flesh] will know [clearly understand, recognize] that I, the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], am your Savior [Rescuer, Deliverer] and your Redeemer [Kinsman, the One who buys back], the Mighty One [the powerful God] of Jacob [the nation of Israel, the descendants of Jacob].” word study