Isaiah

Isaiah 49:1–6

¹Listen to Me, O islands;^a

pay attention, O distant peoples:

The LORD called Me from the womb;

from the body of My mother He named Me.

²He made My mouth like a sharp sword;

He hid Me in the shadow of His hand.

He made Me like a polished arrow;

He hid Me in His quiver.

³He said to Me, “You are My Servant, Israel,

in whom I will display My glory.”

⁴But I said, “I have labored in vain,

I have spent My strength in futility and vanity;

yet My vindication is with the LORD,

and My reward is with My God.”

⁵And now says the LORD,

who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,

to bring Jacob back to Him,

that Israel might be gathered to Him—

for I am honored in the sight of the LORD,

and My God is My strength—

⁶He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant,

to raise up the tribes of Jacob,

and to restore the protected ones of Israel.

I will also make You a light for the nations,

to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”^b

Footnotes

a 49:1 Or coastlands
b 49:6 Cited in Acts 13:47|ACT 13:47

Read all of Isaiah 49

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Isaiah 49:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Listen	שִׁמְע֤וּ	šim·‘ū	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural	H8085 hear
to Me	אֵלַ֔י	’ê·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H413 motion to
O islands	אִיִּים֙	’î·yîm	Noun - masculine plural	H339 coast, region
pay attention	וְהַקְשִׁ֥יבוּ	wə·haq·šî·ḇū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural	H7181 incline, attend
O distant	מֵרָח֑וֹק	mê·rā·ḥō·wq	Preposition-m; Adjective - masculine singular	H7350 distant, far
peoples	לְאֻמִּ֖ים	lə·’um·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H3816 people
The LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
called Me	קְרָאָ֔נִי	qə·rā·’ā·nî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
from the womb	מִבֶּ֣טֶן	mib·be·ṭen	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular	H990 belly, body, womb
from the body	מִמְּעֵ֥י	mim·mə·‘ê	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine plural construct	H4578 internal organs, inward parts (intestines, bowels), belly
of My mother	אִמִּ֖י	’im·mî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H517 mother
He named Me	הִזְכִּ֥יר	hiz·kîr	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2142 remember

Isaiah 49:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He made	וַיָּ֤שֶׂם	way·yā·śem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
My mouth	פִּי֙	pî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6310 mouth
like a sharp	חַדָּ֔ה	ḥad·dāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H2299 sharp
sword	כְּחֶ֣רֶב	kə·ḥe·reḇ	Preposition-k; Noun - feminine singular	H2719 sword
He hid Me	הֶחְבִּיאָ֑נִי	heḥ·bî·’ā·nî	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H2244 withdraw, hide
in the shadow	בְּצֵ֥ל	bə·ṣêl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6738 shadow
of His hand	יָד֖וֹ	yā·ḏōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
He made Me	וַיְשִׂימֵ֙נִי֙	way·śî·mê·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7760 put, place, set
like a polished	בָּר֔וּר	bā·rūr	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular	H1305 purify, select
arrow	לְחֵ֣ץ	lə·ḥêṣ	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H2671 arrow
He hid Me	הִסְתִּירָֽנִי׃	his·tî·rā·nî	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H5641 hide, conceal
in His quiver	בְּאַשְׁפָּת֖וֹ	bə·’aš·pā·ṯōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H827 quiver

Isaiah 49:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He said	וַיֹּ֥אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to Me	לִ֖י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
You	אָ֑תָּה	’āt·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
are My Servant	עַבְדִּי־	‘aḇ·dî-	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5650 slave, servant
Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֕ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
in whom	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
I will display My glory	אֶתְפָּאָֽר׃	’eṯ·pā·’ār	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - first person common singular	H6286 beautify, glorify

Isaiah 49:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But I	וַאֲנִ֤י	wa·’ă·nî	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
said	אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙	’ā·mar·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H559 utter, say
I have labored	יָגַ֔עְתִּי	yā·ḡa‘·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H3021 toil, grow or be weary
in vain	לְרִ֣יק	lə·rîq	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H7385 emptiness, vanity
I have spent	כִלֵּ֑יתִי	ḵil·lê·ṯî	Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular	H3615 be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent
My strength	כֹּחִ֣י	kō·ḥî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3581 strength, power
in futility	לְתֹ֥הוּ	lə·ṯō·hū	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H8414 formlessness, confusion, unreality, emptiness
and vanity	וְהֶ֖בֶל	wə·he·ḇel	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H1892 vapour, breath
yet	אָכֵן֙	’ā·ḵên	Adverb	H403 surely, truly
My vindication	מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י	miš·pā·ṭî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H4941 judgment
is with	אֶת־	’eṯ-	Preposition	H854 with
the LORD	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
and My reward	וּפְעֻלָּתִ֖י	ū·p̄ə·‘ul·lā·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H6468 work, recompence
is with	אֶת־	’eṯ-	Preposition	H854 with
My God	אֱלֹהָֽי׃	’ĕ·lō·hāy	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H430 God

Isaiah 49:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And now	וְעַתָּ֣ה׀	wə·‘at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H6258 now
says	אָמַ֣ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
the LORD	יְהוָ֗ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
who formed Me	יֹצְרִ֤י	yō·ṣə·rî	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3335 form, fashion
from the womb	מִבֶּ֙טֶן֙	mib·be·ṭen	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular	H990 belly, body, womb
to be His Servant	לְעֶ֣בֶד	lə·‘e·ḇeḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
to bring Jacob	יַֽעֲקֹב֙	ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
back	לְשׁוֹבֵ֤ב	lə·šō·w·ḇêḇ	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H7725 turn back, return
to Him	אֵלָ֔יו	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
that Israel	וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל	wə·yiś·rā·’êl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
might be gathered to Him	יֵאָסֵ֑ף	yê·’ā·sêp̄	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H622 gather, remove
for I am honored	וְאֶכָּבֵד֙	wə·’ek·kā·ḇêḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular	H3513 be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured
in the sight	בְּעֵינֵ֣י	bə·‘ê·nê	Preposition-b; Noun - cdc	H5869 eye
of the LORD	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
and My God	וֵאלֹהַ֖י	wê·lō·hay	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H430 God
is	הָיָ֥ה	hā·yāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
My strength	עֻזִּֽי׃	‘uz·zî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5797 strength, might

Isaiah 49:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He says	וַיֹּ֗אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
It is not enough	נָקֵ֨ל	nā·qêl	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7043 be slight, swift, trifling
for You to be	מִֽהְיוֹתְךָ֥	mih·yō·wṯ·ḵā	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
My	לִי֙	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
Servant	עֶ֔בֶד	‘e·ḇeḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
to raise up	לְהָקִים֙	lə·hā·qîm	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
the tribes	שִׁבְטֵ֣י	šiḇ·ṭê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H7626 rod, staff, club, sceptre
of Jacob	יַעֲקֹ֔ב	ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
and to restore	לְהָשִׁ֑יב	lə·hā·šîḇ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H7725 turn back, return
the protected	וּנְצִירֵי	ū·nə·ṣī·rē	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural construct	H5336 preserved
ones of Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
I will also make	וּנְתַתִּ֙יךָ֙	ū·nə·ṯat·tî·ḵā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
You a light	לְא֣וֹר	lə·’ō·wr	Preposition-l; Noun - common singular construct	H216 light
for the nations	גּוֹיִ֔ם	gō·w·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H1471 nation, people
to bring	לִֽהְי֥וֹת	lih·yō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
My salvation	יְשׁוּעָתִ֖י	yə·šū·‘ā·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H3444 salvation
to	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
the ends	קְצֵ֥ה	qə·ṣêh	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7097 end, extremity
of the earth	הָאָֽרֶץ׃ס	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land