Isaiah 42: Behold, My Servant

God introduced his servant: Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my Spirit on him. The servant would bring justice to the nations gently. He would not shout, break a bruised reed, or quench a dimly burning wick, and he would not fail until justice was set on the earth. God would make him a light for the nations, to open blind eyes and free prisoners. God declared new things before they happened and called everyone to sing a new song. God would lead the blind on paths they did not know and make darkness light. Yet Israel, God's servant people, had been blind and deaf to his law.

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Read Isaiah 42

World English Bible · 25 verses

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.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice on the earth, and the islands wait for his law.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ 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, says:This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ “I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness. I will hold your hand. I will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ “I am Yahweh. That is my name. I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to engraved images.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ Behold, the former things have happened and I declare new things. I tell you about them before they come up.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ Sing to Yahweh a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the islands and their inhabitants.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ Let the wilderness and its cities raise their voices, with the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing. Let them shout from the top of the mountains!This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² Let them give glory to Yahweh, and declare his praise in the islands.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ Yahweh will go out like a mighty man. He will stir up zeal like a man of war. He will raise a war cry. Yes, he will shout aloud. He will triumph over his enemies.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ “I have been silent a long time. I have been quiet and restrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will both gasp and pant.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁵ I will destroy mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs. I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁶ I will bring the blind by a way that they don’t know. I will lead them in paths that they don’t know. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁷ “Those who trust in engraved images, who tell molten images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back. They will be utterly disappointed.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁸ “Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁹ Who is blind, but my servant? Or who is as deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is as blind as he who is at peace, and as blind as Yahweh’s servant?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁰ You see many things, but don’t observe. His ears are open, but he doesn’t listen.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²¹ It pleased Yahweh, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify the law and make it honorable.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²² But this is a robbed and plundered people. All of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prisons. They have become captives, and no one delivers, and a plunder, and no one says, ‘Restore them!’This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²³ Who is there among you who will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁴ Who gave Jacob as plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Didn’t Yahweh, he against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in his ways, and they disobeyed his law.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁵ Therefore he poured the fierceness of his anger on him, and the strength of battle. It set him on fire all around, but he didn’t know. It burned him, but he didn’t take it to heart.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

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Isaiah 42 · Preschool

A Gentle Servant

Name Date

Color the little candle that is still burning. God's servant is gentle with weak people.

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice.”

Isaiah 42:3 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: A bruised reed is a bent plant. A dim wick is a tiny flame. God's servant is gentle and does not hurt weak things. In the New Testament, Matthew says this servant is Jesus (Matthew 12:18-21). Let's practice saying: Jesus is gentle (Matthew 12:18-21).

Open Grade 4 on its own page

Isaiah 42 · Grade 4

He Won't Break a Bruised Reed

Name Date

Read and Think

Isaiah 42 introduces what many readers call the first Servant Song. God says, "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." In the New Testament, Matthew quotes this song about Jesus healing people quietly (Matthew 12:18-21). At Jesus' baptism, the Father also said he was well pleased with his Son (Matthew 3:17).

The servant is gentle. "He will not shout, nor raise his voice." "He won't break a bruised reed. He won't quench a dimly burning wick." A bruised reed and a dim wick picture people who are weak or nearly ready to give up. Yet "He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice on the earth."

God says, "I will hold your hand... as a light for the nations, to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon." Then all creation is invited: "Sing to Yahweh a new song." God promises, "I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight." Sadly, Israel had been a blind and deaf servant, not listening to God's law.

Show What You Know

What do many readers call the four special passages about God's servant?
Where does Matthew quote this song?
What do a bruised reed and a dim wick picture?
What would the servant do for the blind and the prisoners?

Think About It

In the New Testament, Jesus is gentle with a bruised reed. How can you be gentle with someone who is weak or hurting?
God calls us to sing to Yahweh a new song. What new thing has God done in your life that you could thank Him for?

Memory Verse

“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.

Isaiah 42:1 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for sending Your Servant. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

God's people had eyes but did not see. What might you be missing about God because you are not paying attention?
The servant would not grow weary until justice was set on earth. How can you work for what is fair in your neighborhood?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

Isaiah 42 · Grade 5

A Covenant for the People

Name Date

Read and Think

Isaiah 42:1-9 is the first of what many call the four Servant Songs (with 49:1-6, 50:4-9, and 52:13-53:12). The Servant is chosen, upheld, delighted in, and filled with the Spirit: "Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my Spirit on him." His mission is global justice. In the New Testament, Matthew 12:18-21 quotes verses 1-4 directly about Jesus, and the Father's words at Jesus' baptism and transfiguration echo verse 1 (Matthew 3:17; 17:5).

The Servant's method is surprising. He will not "shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street." He won't break a bruised reed or quench a dimly burning wick; the weak are safe with him. Yet he is not weak: "He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice on the earth." Interestingly, "fail" and "be discouraged" use the same Hebrew roots as "dimly burning" and "bruised." God will make him "a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations, to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon." In the New Testament, Simeon calls the baby Jesus a light for the Gentiles (Luke 2:32).

A hymn follows: "Sing to Yahweh a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth." God, long silent, now acts like a mighty warrior, leading the blind "in paths that they don't know." The chapter closes by contrasting the faithful Servant with Israel, the servant nation that is "blind" and "deaf." Israel saw many things but did not take them to heart. This contrast prepares for the Servant who will do what Israel could not.

Show What You Know

Where are the passages many call the Servant Songs found?
Which New Testament passage quotes verses 1-4 about Jesus?
What wordplay is in verse 4?
How does the chapter contrast two servants?

Crossword

Across

He won’t break a bruised ____.
I will make darkness ____ before them.
And as blind as Yahweh’s ____.

Down

I have put my ____ on him.
Until he has set ____ on the earth.

Think About It

The Servant brings justice without shouting. What can we learn from the way Jesus brings change gently but firmly (Matthew 12:18-21)?
Israel saw many things but did not take them to heart. How can you make sure you don't just hear God's Word but take it to heart?

Memory Verse

“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.

Isaiah 42:1 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for sending Your Servant. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

Where does Matthew quote this chapter?
How can you put God's Word into action?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

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Isaiah 42: Behold, My Servant

Read Isaiah 42

Worksheets

A Gentle Servant

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A Light

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My Servant

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Match the Pictures

A Light for the Nations

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God's Gentle Helper

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Word Search

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Light for the Nations

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A Light for the Nations

Word Search

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He Won't Break a Bruised Reed

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

A Covenant for the People

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Crossword

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

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