He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
Parallel translations
- WEB He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice in the earth, and the islands will wait for his law.”
- BSB He will not grow weak or discouraged before He has established justice on the earth. In His law the islands will put their hope.”
- NKJV He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”
- NASB “He will not be disheartened or crushed Until He has established justice on the earth; And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.”
- NLT He will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Servant will not fail or grow discouraged until He establishes justice throughout the earth.
Overview
Despite opposition, the Servant perseveres until His mission of worldwide justice is complete, and distant lands await His teaching. His unwavering resolve guarantees the success of God's redemptive purpose. The reach to 'the islands' anticipates the gospel going to all nations, fulfilled as Christ's law goes forth to the ends of the earth.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 25
- Isa 55:5Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
- Gen 49:10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
- Isa 53:2–12For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
- Isa 52:13–15Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
- Ps 22:27All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
- Isa 9:7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
- Matt 12:21And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
- Zech 2:11And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.
- Isa 24:15–16Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.
- Isa 42:12Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.
- Isa 66:19And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.
- Ps 72:8–11He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
- Ps 98:2–3The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
- Isa 11:9–12They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
- Isa 60:9Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
- Mic 4:1–3But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.
- 1 Cor 9:21To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
- Isa 2:2–4And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
- Heb 12:2–4Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- 1 Pet 2:22–24Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
- Isa 49:1Listen, 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.
- Isa 41:5The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.
- Rom 16:26But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
- Isa 49:5–10And 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.
- John 17:4–5I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 42:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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