The big picture
Isaiah 49 opens in verse 1 with “Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 13 with “Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for…”, and closes in verse 26 with “And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, Israel, children, earth, people. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Isaiah · King James Version · 26Isaiah 49:1-7
1–7: Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD…
Isaiah 49:1–7 opens with “Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the…” and reaches “Thus saith the LORD , the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 49 develops its own movement around LORD, Israel, children, earth, people, with particular weight carried by LORD, Israel, servant.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of…” Naming Listen keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft…” The line’s distinctive content terms include hand, mouth, polished. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” Naming Israel and Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with…” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.
Isaiah 49:1-7
King James Version1Listen, 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.
2And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
3And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
4Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD , and my work with my God.
5And 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.
6And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
7Thus saith the LORD , the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
Isaiah 49:8-14
8–14: Thus saith the LORD , In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a…
Isaiah 49:8–14 opens with “Thus saith the LORD , In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I…” and reaches “But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 49 develops its own movement around LORD, Israel, children, earth, people, with particular weight carried by LORD, earth, mercy.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Thus saith the LORD , In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
“That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 49:8-14
King James Version8Thus saith the LORD , In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
9That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
10They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
11And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
12Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
13Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
14But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
Isaiah 49:15-21
15–21: Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have…
Isaiah 49:15–21 opens with “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her…” and reaches “Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 49 develops its own movement around LORD, Israel, children, earth, people, with particular weight carried by children, forget, desolate.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” The line’s distinctive content terms include continually, graven, hands. Its relationship to verses 15 and 17 shows what work it does in this passage.
Isaiah 49:15-21
King James Version15Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
16Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
17Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.
18Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD , thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.
19For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
20The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.
21Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?
Isaiah 49:22-26
22–26: Thus saith the Lord GOD , Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the…
Isaiah 49:22–26 opens with “Thus saith the Lord GOD , Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my…” and reaches “And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Isaiah 49 develops its own movement around LORD, Israel, children, earth, people, with particular weight carried by LORD, mighty, delivered.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Thus saith the Lord GOD , Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Isaiah 49:22-26
King James Version22Thus saith the Lord GOD , Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
23And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD : for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
24Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
25But thus saith the LORD , Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
26And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Isaiah 49:1 begins with “Listen, 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…”
Where the chapter turns
Isaiah 49:14 forms a natural hinge: “But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.”
The final note
Isaiah 49:26 leaves the reader with “And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, Israel, children, earth, people, servant help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How do chapters 34 and 35 help interpret the opening sayings?
They supply the violent acts of Simeon and Levi and Reuben's violation that Jacob now addresses.
Why is Judah's saying central to later Christian reading?
It introduces royal rule in Judah's line, later connected with David and Jesus.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.