Isaiah 49:1–5
The servant was called from the womb
Study it word by word1Listen to me, coastlands, and pay attention, peoples from afar: YHWH called me from the womb; from the inward parts of my mother he made mention of my name.
2And he made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; and he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he concealed me.
3And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will glorify myself.”
4But I said, “In vain I have worn myself out; for emptiness and vapor I have spent my strength; yet surely my right is with YHWH, and my wages with my Elohim.”
5And now says YHWH, who formed me from the womb as his servant, to bring back Jacob to him, and Israel to him will be gathered —and I am honored in the eyes of YHWH, and my Elohim has been my strength—
In its context
…
6he said: “It is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved ones of Israel; I will make you also a light of the nations, to be my salvation to the end of the earth.”
7Thus says YHWH, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to the one despised in soul, to the one abhorred by the nation, to the slave of rulers: “Kings will see and rise up, princes, and they will bow down, because of YHWH, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
Its words in the original
- שִׁמְעוּshimu· hear, listen, obey
Hear, listen. In the Bible listening truly includes paying heed; so it often means "obey". In the causative form, make heard, proclaim.
- אִיִּיםiyim· coast, island
Coast, island: the lands along the sea.
- הַקְשִׁיבוּhakshivu· pay attention, listen
To pay attention, to listen carefully, to prick up the ears. It is more than hearing: it is heeding what is said.
- לְאֻמִּיםleumim· people, nation
People, nation.
- רָחוֹקrachok· far, distant
Far, distant, remote, in place or in time; often "from afar".
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- בֶּטֶןbeten· womb, belly
Belly; the mother's womb; the inner part of a person.
- קְרָאָkeraa· call, proclaim
Call: speak out to someone, summon, invite, give a name, proclaim; also read aloud. "Call on the name of YHWH" is to pray to him and worship him.
- מְּעֵיmee· inward parts, womb
Inward parts, belly. "One who comes from your inward parts" is one's own child. Figuratively, the seat of feeling.
- אִמִּimi· mother
Mother; also figuratively, a city as the mother of its people.
- הִזְכִּירhizkir· remember
Remember, call to mind; also mention. When God "remembers" someone, it is not that he had forgotten: it means he acts in his favor.
- שְׁמִshemi· name
Name. In the Bible a name says who someone is; so it also means fame, renown or reputation.
- יָּשֶׂםyasem· put, set
Put, place, set; appoint, establish; make something into something.
- פִּpi· mouth
Mouth. Also what someone says or commands ("by the mouth of" = by the word of); the edge of a sword; "according to".
- חֶרֶבcherev· sword
Sword; also any tool with an edge, like a knife or a chisel.
- חַדָּהchada· sharp
Sharp, cutting; said of a sword.
- צֵלtsel· shade, shadow
Shade, shadow. Figuratively, protection.
- יָדyad· hand, power
Hand. Figuratively, power or control ("into the hand of" = into the power of); also side, part, or share. Also a projecting piece, such as a tenon.
- הֶחְבִּיאָhechbia· hide
Hide oneself.
- חֵץchets· arrow
Arrow.
- בָּרוּרbarur· purify, choose, test
To cleanse, to purify; also to choose the best and to put to the test. As a participle, "clean, pure."
- אַשְׁפָּתashpat· quiver
A quiver: the case in which arrows are carried.
- הִסְתִּירָhistira· hide
Hide, conceal; be hidden.
- יֹּאמֶרyomer· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- עַבְדִּavdi· slave, servant
Slave, servant: someone who belongs to another or is in his service. It can be a slave, a worker or a high official of the king; before God, one who serves him. "Your servant" is a polite way to say "I".
- יִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael· Israel
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
- אֶתְפָּאָרetpaar· have the honor; glorify
Have the honor; "be pleased to" is a courtesy formula. In other passages, glorify, boast, or adorn.
- רִיקrik· emptiness, in vain
Emptiness; a useless thing. "In vain" is without result.
- יָגַעְתִּיyagati· grow weary, toil
Grow weary, be tired from effort; also to toil, or to make another weary.
- תֹהוּtohu· formlessness, emptiness
Something without form or order: a desolate place, a wasteland. It describes the earth before God set it in order: not yet a place to live in. Figuratively, something empty or worthless; in vain.
- הֶבֶלhevel· vanity, breath
Vanity: a breath, an empty thing that is of no use; idols are called this.
- כֹּחִkochi· strength
Strength, power, vigor; also what the ground can produce. A word with the same letters names a large lizard.
- כִלֵּיתִיchileti· finish, consume
Finish, complete something; come to an end. Also put an end to something, consume it, destroy it.
- אָכֵןachen· surely; but
Surely, truly; but.
- מִשְׁפָּטִmishpati· justice, judgment
What is right and the decision that establishes it: the judgment of a judge, someone's right, a rule or ordinance, a custom. "Do righteousness and justice" is to treat each one as is due.
- פְעֻלָּתִfeulati· work, wages
Work; also the pay for work, wages.
- אֱלֹהָeloha· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- יֹצְרִyotsri· form
Form, shape, like a potter who molds clay; figuratively, plan, purpose. As a noun, "potter".
- שׁוֹבֵבshovev· return, turn back
Turn back, return. Also turn away; in the causative form, bring back, give back, answer. Figuratively, turn back to God (change course). Often adverbial: "again".
- יַעֲקֹבyaakov· Jacob
Jacob, the younger son of Isaac and Rebekah, twin brother of Esau and father of the twelve tribes. In Hebrew "Yaakov" sounds like "heel" and "supplant" (Genesis 25:26; 27:36). God later gave him the name Israel; the name also stands for his descendants, the people of Israel.
- יֵאָסֵףyeasef· gather
Gather, bring together; store up; take away. "Be gathered to one's people" is to die.
- אֶכָּבֵדekaved· be heavy, honor
Be heavy. In a good sense, have weight: be rich, important or honored; hence "honor" and "glorify". In a bad sense, be a burden, or become dull and unresponsive (as Pharaoh's heart).
- עֵינֵיene· eye
Eye. "In someone's eyes" means "in his opinion"; "find favor in the eyes of" is to please him. Also a spring of water.
- הָיָהhaya· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- עֻזִּuzi· strength, might
Strength, power.