Isaiah 49 7

Isaiah 49:7 kjv

Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

Isaiah 49:7 nkjv

Thus says the LORD, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the LORD who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You."

Isaiah 49:7 niv

This is what the LORD says? the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel? to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: "Kings will see you and stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

Isaiah 49:7 esv

Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

Isaiah 49:7 nlt

The LORD, the Redeemer
and Holy One of Israel,
says to the one who is despised and rejected by the nations,
to the one who is the servant of rulers:
"Kings will stand at attention when you pass by.
Princes will also bow low
because of the LORD, the faithful one,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

Isaiah 49 verses

Isaiah 49 7 meaning

Isaiah 49:7 declares a profound reversal of destiny orchestrated by the Lord, the faithful Redeemer of Israel. It addresses an individual identified as the Lord's Servant, who currently endures deep scorn, hatred from the nations, and subservience to earthly rulers. Yet, God promises a future where kings and princes will humble themselves before this very Servant. This dramatic change is affirmed by the steadfast faithfulness of God, who is Israel's Holy One and has divinely chosen the Servant for a specific purpose, guaranteeing his ultimate vindication and exaltation.

Isaiah 49 7 Context

Isaiah 49:7 is nestled within the second of Isaiah's four "Servant Songs" (49:1-13), a pivotal section (chapters 40-55) focusing on comfort, redemption, and the future glory of Israel through a specific chosen Servant. Following the Servant's personal commission (vv. 1-3) and his call to be a light to the nations (vv. 4-6), verse 7 describes the extreme paradox of his current low status versus his promised future exaltation.

Historically, the original audience was likely the exilic or post-exilic community of Israel, feeling despised, humiliated, and subservient to foreign powers. They would have identified with the "despised" and "servant of rulers" language. The verse offers a prophetic vision of radical reversal, assuring them that God, their faithful Redeemer, had a divine plan that transcended their immediate circumstances. It challenges the contemporary belief that God had abandoned them due to their low estate or that the gods of the dominant nations held ultimate power. Instead, it powerfully asserts the Lord's absolute sovereignty and unswerving commitment to His chosen one and people, foretelling a time when earthly powers would acknowledge His chosen Servant.

Isaiah 49 7 Word analysis

• Thus says the Lord (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה - Koh amar Yahweh): This is a prophetic formula, authenticating the message as a direct divine oracle, carrying absolute authority and certainty. It indicates that the following statement is not human conjecture but God's unchangeable declaration.

• the Redeemer of Israel (גֹּאֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל - Go'el Yisra'el): Go'el refers to the kinsman-redeemer, someone obligated to protect family interests, particularly to redeem a family member from slavery or restore lost property. This title highlights God's covenant loyalty and His active intervention to liberate His people from bondage, both physically and spiritually. It emphasizes His role as rescuer and advocate.

• and his Holy One (קְדוֹשׁוֹ - Qedoshō): "His Holy One" underscores God's unique nature – His moral purity, majesty, and absolute transcendence. It signifies His distinctness and inviolability. The Servant is "his" Holy One in a unique covenantal or identifying sense, being set apart by God.

• to one deeply despised (לִבְזֹה־נֶפֶשׁ - livzoh-nephesh): Lit. "to one despised in soul" or "one despised of soul." The phrase signifies an intense, profound contempt and scorn from within the core being. It suggests internal loathing, not just external disfavor, and points to a figure experiencing utter social abasement.

• abhorred by the nations (מְתָעֵב גּוֹי - meta'ev goy): "Abhorred" means to be utterly detested, treated with extreme disgust or loathing, often associated with impurity or rejection. That this hatred comes from "the nations" (Gentiles) underscores the universal nature of the Servant's rejection and marginalization. This highlights an alien, undesirable status in the world's eyes.

• a servant of rulers (עֶבֶד מֹשְׁלִים - 'eved moshlim): This depicts a low social and political standing, under the authority and at the whim of earthly rulers. It signifies a position of weakness, subjection, and lacking autonomy. This stands in stark contrast to the God of the universe who is speaking.

• Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves: This phrase highlights a dramatic shift in status. "Arise" signifies rising in respect, deference, or awe. "Prostrate themselves" (יִשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ - yishtachavu) is a term for bowing in deep submission, reverence, or worship, common in ancient Near Eastern royal courts. This imagery directly reverses the Servant's earlier state of being a "servant of rulers." The ones who previously ruled over him will now humbly bow to him.

• because of the Lord, who is faithful (כִּי־בַעֲבוּר יְהוָה נֶאֱמָן - ki va'avur Yahweh ne'eman): The foundation and guarantee for this radical reversal is God's character. "Faithful" (ne'eman) denotes reliability, trustworthiness, and unwavering constancy in keeping His promises. The transformation happens not due to the Servant's merit but entirely "because of" (lit. "for the sake of") God's steadfast nature.

• the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you (קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּבְחָרֶךָּ - Qedosh Yisra'el vayivhareka): This reaffirms God's divine authority and His active, sovereign decision. "Chosen you" (vayivhareka) emphasizes election, a deliberate selection for a specific purpose. It implies a covenant relationship and a unique, preordained destiny, assuring the Servant of ultimate success despite present adversity because it rests on God's unchangeable will and power.

Isaiah 49 7 Bonus section

The tension regarding the identity of the "Servant" in Isaiah—whether collective Israel, the faithful remnant, or an individual Messiah—is deeply explored within scholarly tradition. While aspects of Israel's national experience are reflected, verses like 49:5-6 clearly distinguish the Servant from Israel, with the Servant's mission being to restore Israel itself and be a light to the nations. Isaiah 49:7 strongly leans towards the individual Messianic interpretation, as it describes a singular figure enduring unique personal suffering and receiving unparalleled veneration, a theme profoundly fulfilled in Jesus Christ. His life perfectly mirrors the one "deeply despised" and a "servant of rulers," who yet received glory when every knee bowed before Him, proving God's faithfulness and His perfect plan for redemption.

Isaiah 49 7 Commentary

Isaiah 49:7 is a prophecy of remarkable vindication, portraying a Servant figure—understood to be the Messiah—who moves from profound humiliation to supreme exaltation. He is currently utterly disdained by both his own people ("deeply despised") and foreign powers ("abhorred by the nations"), relegated to a position of servanthood under oppressive rulers. Yet, this temporary state of degradation is set to be dramatically overturned. The Lord, Israel's faithful Redeemer and Holy One, whose very nature guarantees the fulfillment of His word, pledges that earthly kings and princes will not only acknowledge but actively pay homage and submit to this once-despised Servant. This radical transformation is rooted solely in God's faithfulness and His sovereign election of the Servant, proving that divine purpose cannot be thwarted by human scorn or temporal power dynamics. The verse encapsulates a central Christian truth: the suffering of Christ, the ultimate "despised servant," precedes His glorious resurrection and universal reign, to which all creation will ultimately bow.