Isaiah 42:21 kjv
The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
Isaiah 42:21 nkjv
The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness' sake; He will exalt the law and make it honorable.
Isaiah 42:21 niv
It pleased the LORD for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious.
Isaiah 42:21 esv
The LORD was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious.
Isaiah 42:21 nlt
Because he is righteous,
the LORD has exalted his glorious law.
Isaiah 42 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 42:21 | The LORD was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the law and make it honorable. | Isaiah 42:21 |
| Ps 19:7 | The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; | Psalms 19:7 |
| Ps 119:129 | Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. | Psalms 119:129 |
| Ps 119:18 | Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. | Psalms 119:18 |
| Deut 32:2 | May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech congeal as the dew, like gentle rain upon the soft ground, like showers upon the grass. | Deuteronomy 32:2 |
| Matt 5:17 | “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. | Matthew 5:17 |
| Matt 5:19 | Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. | Matthew 5:19 |
| John 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. | John 1:14 |
| Rom 7:12 | So then the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. | Romans 7:12 |
| Rom 3:31 | Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. | Romans 3:31 |
| Gal 3:21 | Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. | Galatians 3:21 |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may declare the virtues of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. | 1 Peter 2:9 |
| Rev 15:3 | And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! | Revelation 15:3 |
| Neh 8:8 | They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. | Nehemiah 8:8 |
| Psa 40:6 | Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offerings and sin offerings you have not required. | Psalms 40:6 |
| John 13:34 | A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also, love one another. | John 13:34 |
| Rom 10:4 | For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. | Romans 10:4 |
| Heb 1:14 | Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation? | Hebrews 1:14 |
| Isa 29:14 | therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, wonderful and wondrous; the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden. | Isaiah 29:14 |
| Luke 24:27 | And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. | Luke 24:27 |
| Acts 20:35 | In all things I have shown you that by working thus you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ | Acts 20:35 |
Isaiah 42 verses
Isaiah 42 21 Meaning
Isaiah 42:21 states that the Lord is pleased to magnify the law and make it honorable. This means God finds satisfaction in His authoritative word and desires for it to be seen as glorious and worthy of high esteem. It's not just about the law existing, but about its inherent value and God's purpose for it to be recognized.
Isaiah 42 21 Context
Isaiah 42:21 appears in the latter part of the "Servant Songs" within the Book of Isaiah. This section of Isaiah addresses the nation of Israel, their exile, and the promise of restoration through a Suffering Servant. Verse 21 comes after verses describing the servant's mission to bring justice to the nations, his gentle yet persistent approach, and the prophecy of his eventual triumph. The immediate context highlights Israel's failure to understand and obey God's law, leading to their downfall and exile. God is asserting His sovereign will, demonstrating that even through Israel's shortcomings, His purposes regarding His law and its honor will be achieved. The verse contrasts God's desire to magnify the law with Israel's ineffectiveness in upholding it.
Isaiah 42 21 Word Analysis
"The LORD" (Hebrew: YHWH, Yahweh): The personal covenantal name of God. Its presence here signifies God's direct action and authority in magnifying His law.
"was pleased" (Hebrew: ḥaḇaṯṣeṯ): This root signifies delight, pleasure, or favor. It conveys God's active consent and desire for His law to be honored.
"for his righteousness' sake" (Hebrew: lĕma‘a n ḵ ĕnə qā n): This phrase points to the inherent nature of God. His law is an expression of His holiness and justice. Magnifying it is consistent with His character. It implies the law's purpose is righteous living.
"to magnify" (Hebrew: ləgaddēl): Means to make great, to enlarge, to exalt. God elevates His law above all other statutes and customs.
"the law" (Hebrew: haṯôrah): Refers broadly to God's instruction, encompassing the Torah (Pentateuch) but also extending to His entire revealed will and commandments.
"and make it honorable" (Hebrew: wĕləhăḵbad): To make glorious, to honor, to give weight or dignity. It's about bringing esteem and reverence to the law.
Words group analysis: The entire phrase "the LORD was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the law and make it honorable" underscores God's deep investment in His word and its ultimate triumph, despite human failures. God's pleasure is directly linked to the execution of His righteous will, which involves exalting His instruction.
Isaiah 42 21 Bonus Section
The concept of God magnifying and making the law honorable anticipates the work of Jesus Christ. He is the living Word (John 1:14), and His life perfectly embodied the law's intent. His obedience, even unto death, brought ultimate glory to God's law (Phil 2:8). The phrase "for his righteousness' sake" highlights that God's ultimate purpose in exalting the law is tied to His own righteous nature and His desire for His people to reflect that righteousness. This verse, therefore, serves as a prophetic pointer towards the salvific plan, where God's righteousness is satisfied through Christ, enabling His people to uphold the law in a new covenant relationship.
Isaiah 42 21 Commentary
This verse reveals God's deep satisfaction in honoring His own law, which reflects His holy character. Despite Israel's historical struggles with obedience, God remained committed to exalting His commands. This wasn't just about a set of rules, but about revealing His righteous standard for humanity. Jesus Christ later fulfilled this prophecy, embodying the law and demonstrating its true honor and perfect application, thereby magnifiying it through His life and sacrifice. Christians are called to uphold this law, not as a means of earning salvation, but as an outflow of God's grace in their lives, making His teachings known and revered.
- Practical usage examples:
- Recognizing God's joy in His word by dedicating time to study and meditate on Scripture.
- Living in obedience to God's commands as a demonstration of respect for His character and will.
- Sharing the teachings of Jesus Christ, the ultimate magnifier of the law, with others.