Logos Bible Study

Isaiah 50:4–9

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The Servant Perseveres

50:4The sovereign Lord has given me the capacity to be his spokesman,9

so that I know how to help the weary.10

He wakes me up every morning;

he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do.11

50:5The sovereign Lord has spoken to me clearly;12

I have not rebelled,

I have not turned back.

50:6I offered my back to those who attacked,13

my jaws to those who tore out my beard;

I did not hide my face

from insults and spitting.

50:7But the sovereign Lord helps me,

so I am not humiliated.

For that reason I am steadfastly resolved;14

I know I will not be put to shame.

50:8The one who vindicates me is close by.

Who dares to argue with me? Let us confront each other!15

Who is my accuser?16 Let him challenge me!17

50:9Look, the sovereign Lord helps me.

Who dares to condemn me?

Look, all of them will wear out like clothes;

a moth will eat away at them.

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Footnotes

  1. 9 Heb “has given to me a tongue of disciples.” Verses 4–11 contain the third of the so-called servant songs, which depict the career of the Lord’s special servant, envisioned as an ideal Israel (49:3) who rescues the exiles and fulfills God’s purposes for the world. Here the servant alludes to opposition (something hinted at in 49:4), but also expresses his determination to persevere with the Lord’s help.
  2. 10 Heb “to know [?] the weary with a word.” Comparing it with Arabic and Aramaic cognates yields the meaning of “help, sustain.” Nevertheless, the meaning of עוּת (’ut) is uncertain. The word occurs only here in the OT (see 736 ). Various scholars have suggested an emendation to עָנוֹת (’anot) from עָנָה (’anah, “answer”): “so that I know how to respond kindly to the weary.” Since the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa and the support the reading, that reading is retained.
  3. 11 Heb “he arouses for me an ear, to hear like disciples.”
  4. 12 Or perhaps, “makes me obedient.” The text reads literally, “has opened for me an ear.”
  5. 13 Or perhaps, “who beat [me].”
  6. 14 Heb “Therefore I set my face like flint.”
  7. 15 Heb “Let us stand together!”
  8. 16 Heb “Who is the master of my judgment?”
  9. 17 Heb “let him approach me”; , “Let him confront me.”

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

The Lord God has given me

the tongue of those who are taught,

that I may know how to sustain with a word

him who is weary.

Morning by morning he awakens;

he awakens my ear

to hear as those who are taught.

The Lord God has opened my ear,

and I was not rebellious;

I turned not backward.

I gave my back to those who strike,

and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;

I hid not my face

from disgrace and spitting.

But the Lord God helps me;

therefore I have not been disgraced;

therefore I have set my face like a flint,

and I know that I shall not be put to shame.

He who vindicates me is near.

Who will contend with me?

Let us stand up together.

Who is my adversary?

Let him come near to me.

Behold, the Lord God helps me;

who will declare me guilty?

Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;

the moth will eat them up.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,

to know the word that sustains the weary.

He wakens me morning by morning,

wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears;

I have not been rebellious,

I have not turned away.

I offered my back to those who beat me,

my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;

I did not hide my face

from mocking and spitting.

Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,

I will not be disgraced.

Therefore have I set my face like flint,

and I know I will not be put to shame.

He who vindicates me is near.

Who then will bring charges against me?

Let us face each other!

Who is my accuser?

Let him confront me!

It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me.

Who will condemn me?

They will all wear out like a garment;

the moths will eat them up.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The Lord God has given me

the tongue of those who are instructed

to know how to sustain the weary with a word.

He awakens me each morning;

he awakens my ear to listen like those being instructed.

The Lord God has opened my ear,

and I was not rebellious;

I did not turn back.

I gave my back to those who beat me,

and my cheeks to those who tore out my beard.

I did not hide my face from scorn and spitting.

The Lord God will help me;

therefore I have not been humiliated;

therefore I have set my face like flint,

and I know I will not be put to shame.

The one who vindicates me is near;

who will contend with me?

Let us confront each other.

Who has a case against me?

Let him come near me!

In truth, the Lord God will help me;

who will condemn me?

Indeed, all of them will wear out like a garment;

a moth will devour them.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom,

so that I know how to comfort the weary.

Morning by morning he wakens me

and opens my understanding to his will.

The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me,

and I have listened.

I have not rebelled or turned away.

I offered my back to those who beat me

and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard.

I did not hide my face

from mockery and spitting.

Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,

I will not be disgraced.

Therefore, I have set my face like a stone,

determined to do his will.

And I know that I will not be put to shame.

He who gives me justice is near.

Who will dare to bring charges against me now?

Where are my accusers?

Let them appear!

See, the Sovereign Lord is on my side!

Who will declare me guilty?

All my enemies will be destroyed

like old clothes that have been eaten by moths!

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of a pupil,

to know how to help the weary with a word.

He awakens morning by morning,

awakens an ear for me to listen as do the pupils.

The Lord Yahweh has opened an ear for me,

and I, I was not rebellious.

I did not turn backwards;

I gave my back to those who struck me,

and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;

I did not hide my face from insults and spittle.

And the Lord Yahweh helps me,

therefore I have not been put to shame;

therefore I have set my face like flint.

And I know that I shall not be ashamed;

he who obtains rights for me is near.

Who will contend with me? Let us stand together.

Who is the master of my judgment? Let him approach me.

Look! The Lord Yahweh helps me.

Who is the one who will declare me guilty?

Look! All of them will be worn out like a garment;

the moth will eat them.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

The Lord God hath opened mine ear,

And I was not rebellious,

Neither turned away back.

I gave my back to the smiters,

And my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair:

I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

For the Lord God will help me;

Therefore shall I not be confounded:

Therefore have I set my face like a flint,

And I know that I shall not be ashamed.

He is near that justifieth me;

Who will contend with me? let us stand together:

Who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

Behold, the Lord God will help me;

Who is he that shall condemn me?

Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

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