A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory.
Parallel translations
- WEB He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.
- KJV A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
- NKJV A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory;
- NASB “A bent reed He will not break off, And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish, Until He leads justice to victory.
- NLT He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.
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 tenderly preserves the weak and bruised until he brings justice to final victory.
Overview
A bruised reed and smoldering wick picture those who are fragile, broken, and nearly extinguished. Jesus does not crush such people but restores them, offering hope to the weak and sinful. He will not rest until justice triumphs, a victory secured at the cross and consummated at his return.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Isa 42:3–4A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.
- Ezek 34:16I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’
- Isa 61:1–3The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
- Luke 4:18“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed,
- Ps 147:3He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
- Lam 3:31–34For the Lord will not cast us off forever.
- Ps 51:17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
- Heb 12:12–13Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.
- 2 Cor 2:7So instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
- Rev 6:2So I looked and saw a white horse, and its rider held a bow. And he was given a crown, and he rode out to overcome and conquer.
- 2 Cor 10:3–5For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.
- Matt 11:28Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
- 2 Kgs 18:21Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.
- Rom 15:17–19Therefore I exult in Christ Jesus in my service to God.
- Isa 57:15For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.
- Rev 19:11–21Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war.
- Isa 40:11He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart. He gently leads the nursing ewes.
- Ps 98:1–3A Psalm. Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand and holy arm have gained Him the victory.
- 2 Cor 2:14But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 12:20 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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