Isaiah 42 5

Isaiah 42:5 kjv

Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

Isaiah 42:5 nkjv

Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:

Isaiah 42:5 niv

This is what God the LORD says? the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:

Isaiah 42:5 esv

Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:

Isaiah 42:5 nlt

God, the LORD, created the heavens and stretched them out.
He created the earth and everything in it.
He gives breath to everyone,
life to everyone who walks the earth.
And it is he who says,

Isaiah 42 verses

Isaiah 42 5 Meaning

Isaiah 42:5 declares God's unique identity and ultimate authority as the sole Creator and Sustainer of the cosmos and all life within it. It establishes that the LORD (YHWH), the mighty God, is the one who initiated, formed, and continues to uphold the heavens and the earth, imparting the fundamental breath of life to all humanity. This divine self-declaration serves as the authoritative foundation for the subsequent mission and calling of the Servant introduced in the preceding verses.

Isaiah 42 5 Context

Isaiah 42:5 immediately follows the introduction of God's chosen Servant in verses 1-4, initiating the "First Servant Song." This verse provides the authoritative foundation for the Servant's mission to bring justice to the nations. The magnificent description of God as the unparalleled Creator and Sustainer emphasizes the immense power and unimpeachable credibility of the One who commissions this Servant.Historically and culturally, Isaiah spoke to a people facing or anticipating exile to Babylon, a dominant power that worshipped numerous gods, chief among them Marduk, credited with a violent, polytheistic creation myth. The verse directly counters these pagan cosmologies by asserting YHWH's solitary, effortless creation ex nihilo and His universal sovereignty, highlighting His power not only over creation but over nations and destiny.

Isaiah 42 5 Word analysis

• כֹּה אָמַר (ko amar): "Thus says." This opening phrase establishes divine authority and certainty, indicating a direct message from God Himself.
• הָאֵל (ha'El): "God." Signifies the mighty, strong God, emphasizing His power and transcendence as the supreme deity.
• יְהוָה (YHWH): "The LORD." The covenantal, personal name of God, revealing His self-existence, faithfulness, and relationship with His people. The combination of ha'El YHWH stresses both His universal power and His specific, relational commitment.
• בּוֹרֵא (bore'): "Who created." Participle form of bara, a verb exclusively used for God's creation, often implying creation ex nihilo (from nothing). The participle indicates a continuous attribute, "the One who is (always) creating," not just a past event.
• הַשָּׁמַיִם (ha'shamayim): "The heavens." Encompasses the entire cosmic realm, celestial bodies, and the firmament above the earth, emphasizing the vastness of God's dominion.
• וְנוֹטֵיהֶם (v'notehem): "And stretched them out." Participle form of nata, meaning "to stretch, extend." This imagery conveys the ongoing expansion and establishment of the heavens by divine power, illustrating God's mastery over cosmic order.
• רֹקַע (roka): "Who spread out." Participle form of raka, meaning "to spread out, beat out, make firm." Used for forging metal or spreading something flat. It implies the firm establishment and stability of the earth, providing a solid foundation for life, in contrast to mythological accounts of chaotic origins.
• הָאָרֶץ (ha'aretz): "The earth." Refers to the physical planet, the ground, and the land, as distinct from the heavens.
• וְצֵאצָאֶיהָ (v'tse'tse'eha): "And its offspring/produce/what comes from it." This phrase refers to all the vegetation, life forms, and bounty that the earth yields, underscoring God's provision and the earth's fruitfulness as a result of His creative design.
• נֹתֵן (noten): "Who gives." Participle form of natan, meaning "to give, bestow." Highlights God's role as the benevolent provider and source of life.
• נְשָׁמָה (neshama): "Breath of life." Refers to the vital spark, the animating principle that gives physical life, directly recalling God breathing into Adam (Gen 2:7).
• לָעָם (la'am): "To the people." Refers to humanity in general, indicating that God's gift of life is universal to all human beings, not just Israel.
• עָלֶיהָ (aleiha): "Upon it" (the earth). Specifies where the people reside, connecting their life source to their place on the earth God created.
• וְרוּחַ (v'ruach): "And spirit." This term is broader than neshama; it can mean wind, breath, or spirit. Here, it may signify the higher faculties of human consciousness, intellect, and perhaps the spiritual dimension distinguishing humans. It conveys life, vitality, and awareness.
• לַהֹלְכִים בָּהּ (la'holkhim ba): "To those who walk in it." A poetic synonym for "the people on it," reinforcing the universality of God's life-giving power to all who dwell on earth, emphasizing active, living human existence.

• "God, the LORD": This combination of 'El' (powerful God) and 'YHWH' (personal, covenantal God) presents a robust theology: God is both universally mighty and personally engaged with creation and humanity.
• "who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it": This complex phrase delineates God's comprehensive sovereignty over both the cosmic (heavens) and terrestrial (earth) realms. The use of participles suggests God's ongoing, sustained involvement in creation, not merely a past event. He not only initiated but also maintains the order and vastness of the cosmos, providing stability and sustenance from the earth for all living things. This directly challenges pagan creation myths where deities often struggle to form creation or are merely patrons of specific elements.
• "who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it": This emphasizes God's unique prerogative as the sole source of all human life and vitality. It underlines the intimate connection between the Creator and His human creations. The parallelism between "breath of life" (neshama) and "spirit" (ruach) signifies both physical animation and the deeper, conscious, and perhaps moral/spiritual vitality inherent in humanity. This stresses humanity's utter dependence on God for existence.

Isaiah 42 5 Bonus section

The descriptive participles throughout the verse (Creator, stretching, spreading, giving) underscore the dynamic, active, and continuous nature of God's relationship with His creation, rather than merely a static, historical event. He is not just a Creator, but the ever-creating and sustaining God. This perpetual sustenance implies that all existence is contingent upon His ongoing will. Furthermore, the emphasis on God giving "breath" and "spirit" to humanity (universal in scope: "people on it," "those who walk in it") implicitly connects to the doctrine of humanity being made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27), possessing a distinct vitality and capacity bestowed by their Creator, setting them apart from other living things.

Isaiah 42 5 Commentary

Isaiah 42:5 functions as a powerful preamble to the divine commissioning of the Servant, firmly rooting the Servant's authority and mission in the unparalleled sovereignty of God. This verse articulates YHWH as the sole Creator ex nihilo, actively involved in the constant sustainment of both the vast cosmos and the minute breath within every human being. He did not merely initiate creation, but perpetually stretches, spreads, and gives life, illustrating an ongoing, dynamic relationship with His creation. This self-declaration profoundly contrasts with the limited, often conflicting, deities of surrounding nations, establishing YHWH's unchallenged supremacy and global dominion. It grounds His future acts of salvation and judgment in His inherent nature as the source of all being, making His covenant promises to Israel and His mission through the Servant utterly reliable and universally applicable.