18 Heb “redeemer.” See the note at .
19 See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in .
20 The Hebrew text reads literally “to [one who] despises life.” It is preferable to read with the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa לבזוי, which should be vocalized as a passive participle, לִבְזוּי (livzuy, “to the one despised with respect to life” [נֶפֶשׁ is a genitive of specification]). The consonantal sequence וי was probably misread as ה in the tradition. The contextual argument favors the 1QIsaa reading. As J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [], 2:) points out, the three terse phrases “convey a picture of lowliness, worthlessness, and helplessness.”
21 ’s Piel participle (“to the one who rejects”) does not fit contextually. The form should be revocalized as a Pual, “to the one rejected.”
22 Parallelism (see “rulers,” “kings,” “princes”) suggests that the singular גּוֹי (goy) be emended to a plural or understood in a collective sense (see 55:5).
23 For this sense of קוּם (qum), see Gen 19:1; 23:7; 33:10; Lev 19:32; 1 Sam 20:41; 25:41; 1 Kgs 2:19; Job 29:8.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

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.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

This is what the Lord,

the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, says

to one who is despised,

to one abhorred by people,

to a servant of rulers:

“Kings will see, princes will stand up,

and they will all bow down

because of the Lord, who is faithful,

the Holy One of Israel—and he has chosen you.”

NLTNew Living Translation

The Lord, the Redeemer

and Holy One of Israel,

says to the one who is despised and rejected by the nations,

to the one who is the servant of rulers:

“Kings will stand at attention when you pass by.

Princes will also bow low

because of the Lord, the faithful one,

the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Thus says Yahweh, the redeemer of Israel, his holy one,

to the one who despises life,

to the one who abhors the nation,

to the slave of rulers:

“Kings shall see and stand up;

princes, and they shall bow down,

for the sake of Yahweh, who is faithful,

the holy one of Israel, and he has chosen you.”

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

Public Domain