41:9 you whom I am bringing back 1 from the earth’s extremities,
and have summoned from the remote regions –
I told you, “You are my servant.”
I have chosen you and not rejected you.
42:1 2 “Here is my servant whom I support,
my chosen one in whom I take pleasure.
I have placed my spirit on him;
he will make just decrees 3 for the nations. 4
43:10 You are my witnesses,” says the Lord,
“my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may consider 5 and believe in me,
and understand that I am he.
No god was formed before me,
and none will outlive me. 6
43:20 The wild animals of the desert honor me,
the jackals and ostriches,
because I put water in the desert
and streams in the wilderness,
to quench the thirst of my chosen people,
44:2 This is what the Lord, the one who made you, says –
the one who formed you in the womb and helps you:
“Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob,
Jeshurun, 7 whom I have chosen!
45:1 This is what the Lord says to his chosen 8 one,
to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold 9
in order to subdue nations before him,
and disarm kings, 10
to open doors before him,
so gates remain unclosed:
45:4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
Israel, my chosen one,
I call you by name
and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize 11 me.
61:1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me,
because the Lord has chosen 12 me. 13
He has commissioned 14 me to encourage 15 the poor,
to help 16 the brokenhearted,
to decree the release of captives,
and the freeing of prisoners,
65:9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,
and from Judah people to take possession of my mountains.
My chosen ones will take possession of the land; 17
my servants will live there.
1 tn Heb “whom I have taken hold of [i.e., to lead back].”
2 sn Verses 1-7 contain the first of Isaiah’s “servant songs,” which describe the ministry of a special, ideal servant who accomplishes God’s purposes for Israel and the nations. This song depicts the servant as a just king who brings justice to the earth and relief for the oppressed. The other songs appear in 49:1-13; 50:4-11; and 52:13-53:12.
3 tn Heb “he will bring out justice” (cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV).
4 sn Like the ideal king portrayed in Isa 11:1-9, the servant is energized by the divine spirit and establishes justice on the earth.
5 tn Or “know” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
6 tn Heb “and after me, there will not be”; NASB “there will be none after Me.”
7 sn Jeshurun is a poetic name for Israel; it occurs here and in Deut 32:15; 33:5, 26.
8 tn Heb “anointed” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “his appointed king.”
9 sn The “right hand” is a symbol of activity and strength; the Lord directs Cyrus’ activities and assures his success.
10 tn Heb “and the belts of kings I will loosen”; NRSV “strip kings of their robes”; NIV “strip kings of their armor.”
11 tn Or “know” (NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT); NIV “acknowledge.”
12 tn Heb “anointed,” i.e., designated to carry out an assigned task.
13 sn The speaker is not identified, but he is distinct from the Lord and from Zion’s suffering people. He possesses the divine spirit, is God’s spokesman, and is sent to release prisoners from bondage. The evidence suggests he is the Lord’s special servant, described earlier in the servant songs (see 42:1-4, 7; 49:2, 9; 50:4; see also 51:16).
14 tn Or “sent” (NAB); NCV “has appointed me.”
15 tn Or “proclaim good news to.”
16 tn Heb “to bind up [the wounds of].”
17 tn Heb “it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to the land which contains the aforementioned mountains.