Isaiah 49:1–13

The Servant of the Lord

Listen^a to me, you islands;^b

hear this, you distant nations:

Before I was born^c the Lord called^d me;

from my birth he has made mention of my name.^e

He made my mouth^f like a sharpened sword,^g

in the shadow of his hand^h he hid me;

he made me into a polished arrowⁱ

and concealed me in his quiver.

He said to me, “You are my servant,^j

Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.^k”

But I said, “I have labored in vain;^l

I have spent my strength for nothing at all.

Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand,^m

and my rewardⁿ is with my God.”^o

And now the Lord says—

he who formed me in the womb^p to be his servant

to bring Jacob back to him

and gather Israel^q to himself,

for I am honored^r in the eyes of the Lord

and my God has been my strength^s—

he says:

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant^t

to restore the tribes of Jacob

and bring back those of Israel I have kept.^u

I will also make you a light^v for the Gentiles,^w

that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”^x

This is what the Lord says—

the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel^y—

to him who was despised^z and abhorred by the nation,

to the servant of rulers:

“Kings^a will see you and stand up,

princes will see and bow down,^b

because of the Lord, who is faithful,^c

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

Restoration of Israel

This is what the Lord says:

“In the time of my favor^a I will answer you,

and in the day of salvation I will help you;^b

I will keep^c you and will make you

to be a covenant for the people,^d

to restore the land^e

and to reassign its desolate inheritances,^f

to say to the captives,^g ‘Come out,’

and to those in darkness,^h ‘Be free!’

“They will feed beside the roads

and find pasture on every barren hill.ⁱ

They will neither hunger nor thirst,^j

nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them.^k

He who has compassion^l on them will guide^m them

and lead them beside springsⁿ of water.

I will turn all my mountains into roads,

and my highways^o will be raised up.^p

See, they will come from afar^q—

some from the north, some from the west,^r

some from the region of Aswan.”

Shout for joy,^s you heavens;

rejoice, you earth;^t

burst into song, you mountains!^u

For the Lord comforts^v his people

and will have compassion^w on his afflicted ones.^x