The Obedient Servant's Suffering

Isaiah 50

The Lord asks why his people were sold away for their own sins, then speaks through his servant, who describes receiving an open ear to hear and a willingness to give his back to those who struck him, trusting that the Lord who justifies him is near. Those who fear the Lord are called to trust in him, while those who kindle their own fire are warned they will lie down in sorrow.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonTHUS saith the Lord: Of what sort was the bill of your mother’s divorce with which I divorced her? Or to what creditor have I sold you? Behold you were sold for your transgressions; and for your iniquities I divorced your mother.

BrentonThus saith the Lord, Of what kind is your mother's bill of divorcement, by which I put her away? or to which debtor have I sold you? Behold, ye are sold for your sins, and for your iniquities have I put your mother away.

GreekΟὕτως λέγει Κύριος, ποῖον τὸ βιβλίον τοῦ ἀποστασίου τῆς μητρὸς ὑμῶν, ᾧ ἐξαπέστειλα αὐτήν; ἢ τίνι ὑπόχρεῳ πέπρακα ὑμᾶς; ἰδοὺ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν ἐπράθητε, καὶ ταῖς ἀνομίαις ὑμῶν ἐξαπέστειλα τὴν μητέρα ὑμῶν.

KJVThus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

JPSThus saith the LORD: Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, Wherewith I have put her away? Or which of My creditors is it To whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities were ye sold, And for your transgressions was your mother put away.

ThomsonWhy, when I came, was there no man? And why, when I called, did none answer? Is My hand unable to save? Or have I no power to rescue? Behold with My rebuke I can dry up the sea, and make the rivers a desert, so that the fishes thereof shall shrivel for want of water, and die for thirst.

BrentonWhy did I come, and there was no man? why did I call, and there was none to hearken? Is not my hand strong to redeem? or can I not deliver? behold, by my rebuke I will dry up the sea, and make rivers a wilderness; and their fish shall be dried up because there is no water, and shall die for thirst.

GreekΤί ὅτι ἦλθον, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἄνθρωπος; ἐκάλεσα, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ὑπακούων; μὴ οὐκ ἰσχύει ἡ χείρ μου τοῦ ῥύσασθαι; ἢ οὐκ ἰσχύω τοῦ ἐξελέσθαι; ἰδοὺ τῷ ἐλεγμῷ μου ἐξερημώσω τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ θήσω ποταμοὺς ἐρήμους, καὶ ξηρανθήσονται οἱ ἰχθύες αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ εἶναι ὕδωρ, καὶ ἀποθανοῦνται ἐν δίψει.

KJVWherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.

JPSWherefore, when I came, was there no man? When I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish become foul, because there is no water, And die for thirst.

ThomsonI can clothe the heaven with darkness, and make its covering like sackcloth.

BrentonI will clothe the sky with darkness, and will make its covering as sackcloth.

GreekἘνδύσω τὸν οὐρανὸν σκότος, καὶ ὡς σάκκον θήσω τὸ περιβόλαιον αὐτοῦ.

KJVI clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

JPSI clothe the heavens with blackness, And I make sackcloth their covering.

ThomsonThe Lord God giveth me an instructed tongue, to know when it is proper to speak a word. He gave it me in the morning; He gave me in addition an ear to hear.

BrentonThe Lord even God gives me the tongue of instruction, to know when it is fit to speak a word: he has appointed for me early, he has given me an ear to hear:

GreekΚύριος Κύριος δίδωσί μοι γλῶσσαν παιδείας, τοῦ γνῶναι ἡνίκα δεῖ εἰπεῖν λόγον· ἔθηκέ μοι πρωῒ, προσέθηκέ μοι ὠτίον ἀκούειν,

KJVThe Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

JPSThe Lord GOD hath given me The tongue of them that are taught, That I should know how to sustain with words him that is weary; He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth mine ear To hear as they that are taught.

ThomsonAnd the instruction of the Lord God openeth mine ears and I am not rebellious, nor do I gainsay.

Brentonand the instruction of the Lord, even the Lord, opens mine ears, and I do not disobey, nor dispute.

Greekκαὶ ἡ παιδεία Κυρίου Κυρίου ἀνοίγει μου τὰ ὦτα· ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ἀπειθῶ, οὐδὲ ἀντιλέγω.

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonMy back I have given to scourges, and my cheeks to be slapped with an open hand, and I turned not my face from the shame of spittles.

BrentonI gave my back to scourges, and my cheeks to blows; and I turned not away my face from the shame of spitting:

GreekΤὸν νῶτόν μου ἔδωκα εἰς μάστιγας, τὰς δὲ σιαγόνας μου εἰς ῥαπίσματα, τὸ δὲ πρόσωπόν μου οὐκ ἀπέστρεψα ἀπὸ αἰσχύνης ἐμπτυσμάτων,

KJVI gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

JPSI gave my back to the smiters, And my checks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

ThomsonIndeed the Lord God was my helper; therefore I was not ashamed, but kept my countenance firm as a rock. I knew indeed that I should not be confounded, because He Who justified me is near at hand.

Brentonbut the Lord God became my helper; therefore I was not ashamed, but I set my face as a solid rock; and I know that I shall never be ashamed,

Greekκαὶ Κύριος Κύριος βοηθός μοι ἐγενήθη· διατοῦτο οὐκ ἐνετράπην, ἀλλὰ ἔθηκα τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ὡς στερεὰν πέτραν, καὶ ἔγνων ὅτι οὐ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶ,

KJVFor the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

JPSFor the Lord GOD will help me; Therefore have I not been confounded; Therefore have I set my face like a flint, And I know that I shall not be ashamed.

ThomsonWho is he that contendeth with me? Let him stand up with me face to face. Yes, let my accuser, whoever he be, come near me.

Brentonfor he that has justified me draws near; who is he that pleads with me? let him stand up against me at the same time: yea, who is he that pleads with me? let him draw nigh to me.

Greekὅτι ἐγγίζει ὁ δικαιώσας με· τίς ὁ κρινόμενός μοι; ἀντιστήτω μοι ἅμα· καὶ τις ὁ κρινόμενός μοι; ἐγγισάτω μοι.

KJVHe is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

JPSHe is near that justifieth me; Who will contend with me? let us stand up together; Who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

ThomsonBehold the Lord God will be my advocate; who can do me any evil? Behold, you shall all wax old like a mantle, and the moth shall consume you.

BrentonBehold, the Lord, the Lord, will help me; who will hurt me? behold, all ye shall wax old as a garment, and a moth shall devour you.

GreekἸδοὺ Κύριος Κύριος βοηθήσει μοι· τίς κακώσει με; ἰδοὺ πάντες ὑμεῖς ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσεσθε, καὶ σὴς καταφάγεται ὑμᾶς.

KJVBehold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

JPSBehold, the Lord GOD will help me; Who is he that shall condemn me? Behold, they all shall wax old as a garment, The moth shall eat them up.

ThomsonWho is there among you who feareth the Lord, let him hearken to the voice of His servant. Ye who walk in darkness and have no light, trust in the name of the Lord and stay firmly with God.

BrentonWho is among you that fears the Lord? let him hearken to the voice of his servant: ye that walk in darkness, and have no light, trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon God.

GreekΤίς ἐν ὑμῖν ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν Κύριον; ὑπακουσάτω τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ· οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν σκότει, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς φῶς, πεποίθατε ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου, καὶ ἀντιστηρίσασθε ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ.

KJVWho is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.

JPSWho is among you that feareth the LORD, That obeyeth the voice of His servant? Though he walketh in darkness, And hath no light, Let him trust in the name of the LORD, And stay upon his God.

ThomsonBehold you are all kindling a fire and increasing the flame; walk in the light of your fire and by the flame which you have kindled. On my account these things have befallen you. You shall lie down in sorrow.

BrentonBehold, ye all kindle a fire, and feed a flame: walk in the light of your fire, and in the flame which ye have kindled. This has happened to you for my sake; ye shall lie down in sorrow.

GreekἸδοὺ πάντες ὑμεῖς πῦρ καίετε, καὶ κατισχύετε φλόγα· πορεύεσθε τῷ φωτὶ τοῦ πυρὸς ὑμῶν, καὶ τῇ φλογὶ ᾗ ἐξεκαύσατε· διʼ ἐμὲ ἐγένετο ταῦτα ὑμῖν, ἐν λύπῃ κοιμηθήσεσθε.

KJVBehold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.

JPSBehold, all ye that kindle a fire, That gird yourselves with firebrands, Begone in the flame of your fire, And among the brands that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of My hand; Ye shall lie down in sorrow.