The Servant Called from the Womb
Study note
This is the second of Isaiah's four 'Servant Songs,' poems about a mysterious figure chosen by God for a special mission. The Servant speaks directly, telling the whole world that God called him before he was born. God has made the Servant's words sharp like a sword and polished him like an arrow. Even though the Servant feels he has worked for nothing, he trusts God with the results. The Servant's mission goes far beyond just restoring Israel. God says it would be too small a task to only bring back the tribes of Jacob. Instead, the Servant will be a light to all nations, carrying God's salvation to the ends of the earth.
1 Listen to me, faraway lands! Pay attention, distant nations! The Lord chose me before I was born. While I was still inside my mother, he spoke my name. 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 He turned my words into a sharp sword. He tucked me safely in the shadow of his hand. He shaped me into a polished arrow and kept me in his quiver, ready for the right moment. 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 He told me, "You are my servant, Israel. Through you, I will put my glory on display." And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
4 But I said, "I have worked so hard for nothing. I have used up all my strength and it all seems pointless." Still, I know that my case is in the Lord's hands, and my reward is with my God. 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 the Lord speaks — the one who shaped me in the womb to serve him, to bring Jacob back to him, and to gather Israel together. I am honored in the Lord's sight, and my God gives me strength. 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 He says, "It is not enough for you to be my servant and bring back the tribes of Jacob and the survivors of Israel. I am also making you a light for every nation. My saving power will reach the farthest corners of the earth." 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 Here is what the Lord says — Israel's Savior and Holy One — to the one who is deeply looked down on and rejected by the people, treated like a slave by rulers: "Kings will see you and stand up. Princes will bow down. This will happen because the Lord keeps his promises. The Holy One of Israel has chosen you." 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.
God's Promise to Restore His People
Study note
God promises to answer the Servant at just the right time and help him on the day of salvation. The Servant will become a covenant for the people, restoring the land and freeing prisoners from darkness. God's returning people will not go hungry or thirsty, because the one who loves them will guide them to springs of water. They will come from far away, from the north, the west, and even from the distant land of Sinim (possibly China or southern Egypt). The heavens and earth are called to burst into singing because God has comforted his suffering people.
8 The Lord says, "At exactly the right moment, I answered your cry. On the day of rescue, I stepped in to help you. I will protect you and give you as my personal promise to the people. You will bring the land back to life and hand out the abandoned properties." 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 "You will announce to the prisoners, 'Walk out free!' and to those trapped in darkness, 'Step into the light!' They will find food along every road and pasture on every bare hillside." 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 will never go hungry or thirsty again. The scorching heat and blazing sun will not beat down on them. The one who loves them will lead the way and guide them to cool, refreshing springs." 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 "I will turn all my mountains into smooth roads, and my highways will be built up high." And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
12 "Look! People are coming from far away — some from the north, some from the west, and some from the land of Sinim far to the south." Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
13 Burst out singing, heavens! Celebrate, earth! Break into joyful song, mountains! The Lord has comforted his people and will show compassion to those who are hurting. 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.
God Will Never Forget Zion
Study note
Zion cries out that the Lord has forgotten her. God's response is one of the most beautiful passages in all of Scripture. He asks, 'Can a mother forget her nursing baby?' Even if a mother could forget, God says he will never forget his people. He has carved their names on the palms of his hands. Zion's walls are always in his sight. God promises that the ruined and empty land will soon overflow with so many returning people that there will not be enough room for them all.
14 But Zion complained, "The Lord has abandoned me. My Lord has completely forgotten about me." But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
15 The Lord answers, "Could a mother forget the baby she is nursing? Could she stop caring about the child she brought into the world? Even if that were somehow possible, I could never forget you." 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 "Look — I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. The picture of your walls is always before me." Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
17 "Your builders are already rushing back. The people who tore you down and left you in ruins are heading out." Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.
18 "Lift your eyes and look all around you. All your children are gathering together and coming home. As surely as I live," the Lord declares, "you will wear them like jewelry and show them off proudly, the way a bride displays her finest." 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 "Your ruined, demolished land will soon be bursting at the seams with people. The ones who once gobbled you up will be long gone." 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 born to you during your time of grief will say, 'It is too crowded here! We need more room!'" 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 you will think to yourself, 'Who gave me all these children? I lost mine and could not have more. I was pushed aside and rejected. So who raised all of these? I was left completely alone. Where in the world did they all come from?'" 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?
Kings and Queens Will Serve Israel
Study note
God declares that he will raise a signal flag to the nations. Foreign peoples will carry Israel's sons in their arms and daughters on their shoulders. Kings will become guardians and queens will become caregivers. Those who hope in the Lord will not be disappointed. Even captives held by powerful tyrants will be freed, because God himself will fight for his people. All people on earth will know that the Lord is Israel's Savior and Redeemer.
22 Here is what the Lord God says: "Watch — I am raising my hand as a signal to the nations. They will carry your sons in their arms and bring your daughters riding on their shoulders." 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 "Kings will become your caretakers, and queens will nurse your children. They will bow to the ground before you and lick the dust from your feet. Then you will understand that I am the Lord, and no one who trusts in me will ever be let down." 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 Can you take away prisoners from a powerful warrior? Can you rescue captives from a tyrant? Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
25 But the Lord replies, "Yes! Prisoners will be snatched from warriors, and captives will be freed from tyrants. I will personally fight anyone who fights you, and I will save your children." 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 "I will turn your oppressors against themselves. They will get drunk on their own blood as if it were sweet wine. Then every person on earth will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob." 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.