The Great Isaiah Scroll, the best preserved of the biblical scrolls found at Qumran from the second century BC, contains all the verses in this chapter.
Scholars such as John Goldingay, John Barton, and John Muddiman also hold the view that the Old Testament identifies the servant of the Servant songs as the Israelites in Is. 41:8-9; Is. 44:1; Is. 44:21; Is. 45:4; Is. 48:20 and Is. 49:3.[2][3] The latter two write that "The idea of a 'servant' played a small part in the earlier chapters, being used as a designation of the unworthy Eliakim in 22:20 and of the figure of David in 37:35, but it now comes to the fore as a description of major significance, the noun being used more than 20 times in chs. 40-55. Its first usage is obviously important in establishing the sense in which we are to understand it, and here it is clear that the community of Israel/Jacob is so described."[2]
The parashah sections listed here are based on the Aleppo Codex.[6] Isaiah 42 is a part of the Consolations (Isaiah 40–66). {P}: open parashah; {S}: closed parashah.
"Quench" or "extinguish"[10] from the Hebrew root: k-b-h (כבה, kabah, "to be quenched or extinguished, to go out"[11]), is also used in Isaiah 1:31 and Isaiah 66:24 for: "the fire that shall not be quenched"; Isaiah 34:10: 'the fire devouring Edom "will not be quenched"'; as well as in 43:17: 'those who oppose the LORD'S path are "quenched like a wick"'.[12]
He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.[13]
"Be discouraged": from Hebrew: יָר֔וּץ, yā-rūts,[14] "bruised",[15] from the root word "crushed" (רָצַץ, ratsats), used to describe "crushed reed" (or "bruised reed") and "dim (כָּהָה, kahah) wick" (or "smoking flax") in verse 3, repeated here for rhetorical effect.[16]
To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.[19]
"Blind eyes": both physical and spiritual (Isaiah 29:18; 32:3; 35:5; 42:16, 18, 19; John 9:39),[20] here may specially be for spiritual blindness by the comment of verses 16–19[21] (cf. Paul's calling in Acts 26:18).[22] This is in contrast to Isaiah's own mission (Isaiah 6:10).[22]
"To bring out the prisoners from the prison": cf. Isaiah 61:1-2.[23] For different aspects of "prison", see "prisoners of hope" in Zechariah 9:11, and the "spirits in prison" in 1 Peter 3:19.[22]
And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. Yet He warned them not to make Him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
Muslim tradition holds that Isaiah 42 predicted the coming of a servant associated with Qedar, the second son of Ishmael and who went on to live his life in Arabia[25] (see Isaiah 42:11). Isaiah 42:11 also mentions that the people of "Sela" - interpreted here as the mountain of Sela near present-day Medina, Saudi Arabia - would "sing for joy" and "shout from the mountain tops", and so interpret this passage as prophesising the coming of Muhammad and his migrationtoMedina.[26][failed verification]
^Exell, Joseph S.; Spence-Jones, Henry Donald Maurice (Editors). On "Isaiah 42". In: The Pulpit Commentary. 23 volumes. First publication: 1890. Accessed 24 April 2019.
^Zepp, Ira G. (2000). A Muslim Primer: Beginner's Guide to Islam. Vol. 1. University of Arkansas Press, p. 50. Accessed 3 May 2024.
^Rubin, Uri (1995). The eye of the beholder: the life of Muḥammad as viewed by the early Muslims: a textual analysis. Volume 5 of Studies in late antiquity and early Islam. Darwin Press. For 1995 edition see here.
