Isaiah 42:6

Covenant and promises Witness and mission Jesus Christ

⁴ He will not grow weak or discouraged before He has established justice on the earth. In His law the islands will put their hope.”

⁵ This is what God the LORD says— He who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and life to those who walk in it:

“I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,

⁷ to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house.

⁸ I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,
KJV: I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
WEB: “I, the LORD, 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,
ASV: I, Jehovah, have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
DARBY: I, Jehovah, have called thee in righteousness, and will take hold of thy hand; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations,
BLB: “I, YHWH, have called You in righteousness, and have taken hold of your hand, and watched over you and given you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations—

ÅB: Jeg, Herren, har kalt deg i rettferd og tatt deg ved hånden, og jeg vil verne deg og gjøre deg til en pakt for folket, til et lys for hedningene,
OTB: «Jeg er Herren; jeg har kalt deg i rettferdighet, jeg vil holde deg ved hånden og vokte deg, og jeg vil sette deg til en pakt for folket, et lys for folkene,
B1930: Jeg, Herren, har kalt dig i rettferd og tatt dig ved hånden, og jeg vil verne dig og gjøre dig til en pakt for folket, til et lys for hedningene,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Read in context
Luke 2:32
a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”
Read in context
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
Read in context
Acts 13:47
For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
Read in context
Isaiah 49:8
This is what the LORD says: “In the time of favor I will answer You, and in the day of salvation I will help You; I will keep You and appoint You to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to apportion its desolate inheritances,
Read in context
Isaiah 49:6
He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Read in context
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Read in context
Isaiah 60:1–3
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
Read in context