Isaiah 49:7

"Indeed, he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel. I will also give you as a light to the nations, that you may be my salvation to the end of the earth.”"

Key Reflection

Isaiah 49:7 speaks to the expansive role God assigns His servant, going beyond mere national restoration. By saying it is "too light a thing" to restore Israel, God highlights the greater mission of His servant—to serve as a beacon of hope and salvation for all nations worldwide. This prophecy underscores the transformative power of God’s chosen one, not just in reviving Israel but in illuminating humanity across the globe with divine light and redemption.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Thus saith the Lord -This verse contains a promise of the future honor that should await the Redeemer, and of the success which should crown his work. The sense is, that Yahweh had promised to him who was despised and rejected, that kings and princes should yet rise up and honor him. The Redeemer of Israel -(See the note atIsaiah 43:1). To him whom man despiseth -On the construction of the Hebrew here, see Gesenius, Vitringa, and Hengstenberg. The phraseלבזה־נפשׁlibezoh-nephesh(to the despised of soul), means evidently one who is despised, rejected, contemned by people. The word ‘soul’ here (נפשׁnephesh) means the same as man; that is, every man.

More from Isaiah 49

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