Isaiah 49 | English Standard Version

English Standard Version

The Servant of the Lord

1 Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. (Isa 11:11; Isa 33:13; Isa 44:2) 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. (Isa 11:4; Isa 51:16; Ho 6:5; Heb 4:12; Re 1:16)

Isa 11:4Isa 51:16Ho 6:5Heb 4:12Re 1:16

3 And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”^[1] (Isa 44:23) 4 But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God.” (Isa 50:6; Isa 53:10; Isa 65:23) 5 And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him— for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength— (Isa 49:1; Isa 50:4; Isa 52:13) 6 he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Ps 98:3; Isa 42:6; Ac 13:47) 7 Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” (Isa 48:17; Isa 49:1; Isa 49:23; Isa 50:6; Isa 53:3)

Isa 48:17Isa 49:1Isa 49:23Isa 50:6Isa 53:3

The Restoration of Israel

8 Thus says the Lord: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages, (Ps 69:13; Isa 42:6; Isa 61:4; 2Co 6:2)

Ps 69:13Isa 42:6Isa 61:42Co 6:2

9 saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’ They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; (Isa 41:18; Isa 42:7) 10 they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them. (Isa 40:11; Re 7:16; Re 7:17) 11 And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be raised up. (Isa 40:4) 12 Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west,^[2] and these from the land of Syene.”^[3] (Ps 107:3; Isa 43:5) 13 Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted. (Isa 40:1; Isa 44:23) 14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” (Isa 40:27; Isa 54:6; Isa 62:4) 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. (Ps 27:10; Isa 43:1) 16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. (So 8:6; Re 13:16) 17 Your builders make haste;^[4] your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you. (Zec 1:18) 18 Lift up your eyes around and see; they all gather, they come to you. As I live, declares the Lord, you shall put them all on as an ornament; you shall bind them on as a bride does. (Nu 14:21; Isa 60:4; Jer 43:12; Eze 5:11)

Nu 14:21Isa 60:4Jer 43:12Eze 5:11

19 “Surely your waste and your desolate places and your devastated land— surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away. (Zec 10:10) 20 The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears: ‘The place is too narrow for me; make room for me to dwell in.’ (Isa 49:19; Isa 54:1) 21 Then you will say in your heart: ‘Who has borne me these? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away, but who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; from where have these come?’” (Isa 49:20) 22 Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms,^[5] and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. (Isa 11:12; Isa 14:2) 23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” (Ps 25:3; Ps 72:9; Isa 40:31; Isa 60:3; Isa 60:14; Isa 60:16; Joe 2:27; Mic 7:17)

Ps 25:3Ps 72:9Isa 40:31Isa 60:3Isa 60:14Isa 60:16Joe 2:27Mic 7:17

24 Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant^[6] be rescued? 25 For thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children. (Mt 12:29; Lu 11:21) 26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine. Then all flesh shall know that I am the Lord your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” (Ex 20:2; Isa 9:20; Isa 43:3; Zec 11:9; Re 14:20; Re 16:6)

Ex 20:2Isa 9:20Isa 43:3Zec 11:9Re 14:20Re 16:6

New International Version

The servant of the Lord

1 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 his quiver. 3 He said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendour.’ 4 But I said, ‘I have laboured in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due to me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.’ 5 And now the Lord says – he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am^[1] honoured in the eyes of the Lord and my God has been my strength – 6 he says: ‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’ 7 This is what the Lord says – the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel – to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: ‘Kings will see you and stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’

Restoration of Israel

8 This is what the Lord says: ‘In the time of my favour I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, 9 to say to the captives, “Come out,” and to those in darkness, “Be free!” ‘They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill. 10 They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. 11 I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up. 12 See, they will come from afar – some from the north, some from the west, some from the region of Aswan.^[2]’ 13 Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. 14 But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.’ 15 ‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! 16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. 17 Your children hasten back, and those who laid you waste depart from you. 18 Lift up your eyes and look around; all your children gather and come to you. As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord, ‘you will wear them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride. 19 ‘Though you were ruined and made desolate and your land laid waste, now you will be too small for your people, and those who devoured you will be far away. 20 The children born during your bereavement will yet say in your hearing, “This place is too small for us; give us more space to live in.” 21 Then you will say in your heart, “Who bore me these? I was bereaved and barren; I was exiled and rejected. Who brought these up? I was left all alone, but these – where have they come from?” ’ 22 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘See, I will beckon to the nations, I will lift up my banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their hips. 23 Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.’ 24 Can plunder be taken from warriors, or captives be rescued from the fierce^[3]? 25 But this is what the Lord says: ‘Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce; I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. 26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine. Then all mankind will know that I, the Lord, am your Saviour, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.’

New International Reader’s Version

The servant of the Lord

1 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 arrow. He took good care of me and kept me safe. 3 He said to me, ‘You are my true servant Israel. I will show my glory through you.’ 4 But I said, ‘In spite of my hard work, I feel as if I haven’t accomplished anything. I’ve used up all my strength. It seems as if everything I’ve done is worthless. But the LORD will give me what I should receive. My God will reward me.’ 5 The LORD formed me in my mother’s body to be his servant. He wanted me to bring the family of Jacob back to him. He wanted me to gather the people of Israel to himself. The LORD will honour me. My God will give me strength. 6 Here is what the LORD says to me. ‘It is not enough for you as my servant to bring the tribes of Jacob back to their land. It is not enough for you to bring back the people of Israel I have kept alive. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles. Then you will make it possible for the whole world to be saved.’ 7 The LORD sets his people free. He is the Holy One of Israel. He speaks to his servant, who is looked down on and hated by the nations. He speaks to the servant of rulers. He says to him, ‘Kings will see you and stand up to honour you. Princes will see you and bow down to show you their respect. I am the LORD. I am faithful. I am the Holy One of Israel. I have chosen you.’

Israel is brought back to their land

8 The LORD says to his servant, ‘When it is time to have mercy on you, I will answer your prayers. When it is time to save you, I will help you. I will keep you safe. You will put into effect my covenant with the people of Israel. Then their land will be made like new again. Each tribe will be sent back to its territory that was left empty. 9 I want you to say to the prisoners, “Come out.” Tell those who are in their dark cells, “You are free!” ‘On their way home they will eat beside the roads. They will find plenty to eat on every bare hill. 10 They will not get hungry or thirsty. The heat from the desert sun will not beat down on them. The God who has tender love for them will guide them. Like a shepherd, he will lead them beside springs of water. 11 I will make roads across the mountains. I will build wide roads for my people. 12 They will come from far away. Some of them will come from the north. Others will come from the west. Still others will come from Aswan in the south.’ 13 Shout for joy, you heavens! Be glad, you earth! Burst into song, you mountains! The LORD will comfort his people. He will show his tender love to those who are suffering. 14 But the city of Zion said, ‘The LORD has deserted me. The Lord has forgotten me.’ 15 The LORD answers, ‘Can a mother forget the baby who is nursing at her breast? Can she stop having tender love for the child who was born to her? She might forget her child. But I will not forget you. 16 I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Your walls are never out of my sight. 17 Your people will hurry back. Those who destroyed you so completely will leave you. 18 Look up. Look all around you. All your people are getting together to come back to you. You can be sure that I live,’ announces the LORD. ‘And you can be just as sure that your people will be like decorations you will wear. Like a bride, you will wear them proudly. 19 ‘Zion, you were destroyed. Your land was left empty. It was turned into a dry and empty desert. But now you will be too small to hold all your people. And those who destroyed you will be far away. 20 The children born during your time of sorrow will speak to you. They will say, “This city is too small for us. Give us more space to live in.” 21 Then you will say to yourself, “Whose children are these? I lost my children. And I couldn’t have any more. My children were taken far away from me. And no one wanted them. Who brought these children up? I was left all alone. So where have these children come from?” ’ 22 The LORD and King continues, ‘I will call out to the nations. I will give a signal to them. They will bring back your sons in their arms. They will carry your daughters on their hips. 23 Their kings will become like fathers to you. Their queens will be like mothers who feed you. They will bow down to you with their faces towards the ground. They will kiss the dust at your feet to show you their respect. Then you will know that I am the LORD. Those who put their hope in me will not be ashamed.’ 24 Can goods that were stolen by soldiers be taken away from them? Can prisoners be set free from the powerful Babylonians? 25 ‘Yes, they can,’ the LORD answers. ‘Prisoners will be taken away from soldiers. Stolen goods will be taken back from the powerful Babylonians. Zion, I will fight against those who fight against you. And I will save your people. 26 I will make those who treat you badly eat the flesh of others. They will drink blood and get drunk on it as if it were wine. Then everyone on earth will know that I am the one who saves you. I am the LORD. I set you free. I am the Mighty One of Jacob.’

King James Version

1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. 2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; 3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. 4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God. 5 And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength. 6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. 7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. 8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. 10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. 11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. 12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. 13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. 14 But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. 15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. 17 Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee. 18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee , as a bride doeth . 19 For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. 20 The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell. 21 Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been ? 22 Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. 23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. 24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? 25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. 26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

Einheitsübersetzung 2016

Berufung des Gottesknechts

1 Hört auf mich, ihr Inseln, / merkt auf, ihr Völker in der Ferne! Der HERR hat mich schon im Mutterleib berufen; / als ich noch im Schoß meiner Mutter war, hat er meinen Namen genannt. 2 Er machte meinen Mund wie ein scharfes Schwert, / er verbarg mich im Schatten seiner Hand. Er machte mich zu einem spitzen Pfeil / und steckte mich in seinen Köcher. (Isa 51:16; Re 19:15) 3 Er sagte zu mir: Du bist mein Knecht, Israel, / an dem ich meine Herrlichkeit zeigen will. 4 Ich aber sagte: Vergeblich habe ich mich bemüht, / habe meine Kraft für Nichtiges und Windhauch vertan. Aber mein Recht liegt beim HERRN / und mein Lohn bei meinem Gott. (1Co 15:58) 5 Jetzt aber hat der HERR gesprochen, / der mich schon im Mutterleib zu seinem Knecht geformt hat, damit ich Jakob zu ihm heimführe / und Israel bei ihm versammelt werde. So wurde ich in den Augen des HERRN geehrt / und mein Gott war meine Stärke. 6 Und er sagte: Es ist zu wenig, dass du mein Knecht bist, / nur um die Stämme Jakobs wieder aufzurichten / und die Verschonten Israels heimzuführen. Ich mache dich zum Licht der Nationen; / damit mein Heil bis an das Ende der Erde reicht. (Isa 42:6; Ac 13:47) 7 So spricht der HERR, der Erlöser Israels, sein Heiliger, / zu dem tief verachteten Mann, dem Abscheu der Nation, / dem Knecht der Herrschenden: Könige werden es sehen und sich erheben, / Fürsten werfen sich nieder, um des HERRN willen, der treu ist, / um des Heiligen Israels willen, der dich erwählt hat. 8 So spricht der HERR: Zur Zeit der Gnade habe ich dich erhört, / am Tag des Heils habe ich dir geholfen. Und ich forme dich / und mache dich zum Bund mit dem Volk, um das Land aufzurichten / und das verödete Erbe zu verteilen, (2Co 6:2) 9 den Gefangenen zu sagen: Kommt heraus! / und denen, die in der Finsternis sind: Zeigt euch! An den Wegen weiden sie, / auf allen kahlen Hügeln ist ihre Weide. 10 Sie leiden weder Hunger noch Durst, / Hitze und Sonnenglut treffen sie nicht. Denn der sich ihrer erbarmt, leitet sie / und führt sie zu sprudelnden Quellen. 11 Alle meine Berge mache ich zu Wegen / und meine Straßen werden gebahnt sein. 12 Siehe, sie kommen von fern, / die einen von Norden und Westen, / andere aus dem Land der Siniter.^[1] 13 Jubelt, ihr Himmel, jauchze, o Erde, / freut euch, ihr Berge! Denn der HERR hat sein Volk getröstet / und erbarmt sich seiner Armen.

Gottes Trost für Zion

14 Doch Zion sagt: Der HERR hat mich verlassen, / Gott hat mich vergessen. 15 Kann denn eine Frau ihr Kindlein vergessen, / ohne Erbarmen sein gegenüber ihrem leiblichen Sohn? Und selbst wenn sie ihn vergisst: / Ich vergesse dich nicht. (1Ki 3:26; Jer 31:20) 16 Sieh her: Ich habe dich eingezeichnet in meine Hände, / deine Mauern sind beständig vor mir. 17 Deine Erbauer eilen herbei / und die dich zerstört und verwüstet haben, ziehen davon.^[2] 18 Erhebe deine Augen ringsum und schau: / Alle haben sich versammelt und sind zu dir gekommen. So wahr ich lebe - Spruch des HERRN: / Du wirst sie alle wie einen Schmuck anlegen, / du wirst dich mit ihnen schmücken wie eine Braut. (Isa 60:4) 19 Denn dein ödes, verheertes, zerstörtes Land / wird jetzt zu eng für seine Bewohner, / weit weg sind alle, die dich verschlingen wollten. 20 Bald wirst du, die du kinderlos warst, / mit eigenen Ohren hören, wie deine Kinder sagen: Mir ist der Platz zu eng, / rück zur Seite, damit ich hier wohnen kann! (Isa 54:1) 21 Dann wirst du dich in deinem Herzen fragen: / Wer hat mir diese geboren? Ich war doch kinderlos und unfruchtbar, / war verbannt und verstoßen. Wer hat mir diese herangezogen? / Ich war doch allein übrig geblieben. / Wo kommen sie her? 22 So spricht GOTT, der Herr: / Siehe, ich erhebe meine Hand zu Nationen; / und für Völker richte ich mein Feldzeichen auf / und sie bringen auf den Armen deine Söhne herbei / und tragen deine Töchter auf den Hüften. (Isa 60:4; Isa 62:10) 23 Könige werden deine Kinder pflegen / und Fürstinnen ihre Ammen sein. Mit dem Gesicht zur Erde werfen sie sich nieder vor dir / und lecken dir den Staub von den Füßen. Dann wirst du erkennen, dass ich der HERR bin / und dass die nicht beschämt werden, die auf mich hoffen. (Ps 72:9; Isa 60:16) 24 Wird einem Starken die Beute entrissen / und kann der Gefangene eines Gerechten entkommen? 25 So spricht der HERR: / Auch einem Starken entreißt man den Gefangenen / und einem Mächtigen entkommt seine Beute. Ich selbst will mit deinem Gegner streiten, / ich selbst will deine Kinder retten. 26 Deinen Unterdrückern gebe ich ihr eigenes Fleisch zu essen, / sie sollen sich an ihrem Blut berauschen wie an Most. Dann wird alles Fleisch erkennen, / dass ich, der HERR, dein Retter bin / und ich, der Starke Jakobs, dein Erlöser. (Isa 60:16)