ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Isaiah 42.1-5

Book: Isaiah · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (ASV)

"1. Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. 2. He will not cry, nor lift up his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street. 3. A bruised reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench: he will bring forth justice in truth. 4. He will not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set justice in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law. 5. Thus saith God Jehovah, he that created the heavens, and stretched them forth; he that spread abroad the earth and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:"

"6. I, Jehovah, have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7. to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house." (Isaiah 42:1-7, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. “Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights, I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations. 2. He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street. 3. He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice. 4. He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice in the earth, and the islands will wait for his law.” 5. Thus says God Yahweh, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it."

"6. “I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations; 7. to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison." (Isaiah 42:1-7, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. smoking: or, dimly burning quench: Heb. quench it 4. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. discouraged: Heb. broken 5. Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:"

"6. I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7. To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." (Isaiah 42:1-7, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. Lo, My servant, I take hold on him, My chosen one, My soul hath accepted, I have put My Spirit upon him, Judgment to nations he bringeth forth. 2. He doth not cry, nor lift up, Nor cause his voice to be heard, in the street. 3. A bruised reed he breaketh not, And dim flax he quencheth not, To truth he bringeth forth judgment. 4. He doth not become weak nor bruised, Till he setteth judgment in the earth, And for his law isles wait with hope. 5. Thus said God, Jehovah, preparing The heavens, and stretching them out, Spreading out the earth and its productions, Giving breath to the people on it, And spirit to those walking in it."

"6. I, Jehovah, did call thee in righteousness, And I lay hold on thy hand, and keep thee, And I give thee for a covenant of a people, And a light of nations. 7. To open the eyes of the blind, To bring forth from prison the bound one, From the house of restraint those sitting in darkness." (Isaiah 42:1-7, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Isaiah son of Amoz (traditional unity) + LORD direct discourse
  • Audience: Judah under Uzziah/Jotham/Ahaz/Hezekiah + exilic remnant
  • Location: Jerusalem and Judah
  • Time period: ministry c. 740-680 BC

Theological reading

Key words

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.