Isaiah – Chapter 42

Old Testament25 Verses

Chapter Summary

Chapter 42 of Isaiah begins: "Behold my servant, I will uphold him: my elect, my soul delighteth in him: I have given my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment…" Jacob stands at the center of this chapter. Across its 25 verses, two threads run through the text: worship and praise and healing. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1Behold my servant, I will uphold him: my elect, my soul delighteth in him: I have given my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

2He shall not cry, nor have respect to person, neither shall his voice be heard abroad.

3The bruised reed he shall not break, and smoking flax he shall not quench, he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

4He shall not be sad, nor troublesome, till he set judgment in the earth, and the islands shall wait for his law.

5Thus saith the Lord God that created the heavens, and stretched them out: that established the earth, and the things that spring out of it: that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that tread thereon.

6I the Lord have called thee in justice, and taken thee by the hand, and preserved thee. And I have given thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles:

7That thou mightest open the eyes of the blind, and bring forth the prisoner out of prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

8I the Lord, this is my name: I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven things.

9The things that were first, behold they are come: and new things do I declare: before they spring forth, I will make you hear them.

10Sing ye to the Lord a new song, his praise is from the ends of the earth: you that go down to the sea, and all that are therein: ye islands, and ye inhabitants of them.

11Let the desert and the cities thereof be exalted: Cedar shall dwell in houses: ye inhabitants of Petra, give praise, they shall cry from the top of the mountains.

12They shall give glory to the Lord, and shall declare his praise in the islands.

13The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, as a man of war shall he stir up zeal: he shall shout and cry: he shall prevail against his enemies.

14I have always held my peace, I have kept silence, I have been patient, I will speak now as a woman in labour: I will destroy, and swallow up at once.

15I will lay waste the mountains and hills, and will make all their grass to wither: and I will turn rivers into islands, and will dry up the standing pools.

16And I will lead the blind into the way which they know not: and in the paths which they were ignorant of I will make them walk: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight: these things have I done to them, and have not forsaken them.

17They are turned back: let them be greatly confounded, that trust in a graven thing, that say to a molten thing: You are our god.

18Hear, ye deaf, and, ye blind, behold that you may see.

19Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, but he to whom I have sent my messengers? Who is blind, but he that is sold? or who is blind, but the servant of the Lord?

20Thou that seest many things, wilt thou not observe them? thou that hast ears open, wilt thou not hear?

21And the Lord was willing to sanctify him, and to magnify the law, and exalt it.

22But this is a people that is robbed and wasted: they are all the snare of young men, and they are hid in the houses of prisons: they are made a prey, and there is none to deliver them: a spoil, and there is none that saith: Restore.

23Who is there among you that will give ear to this, that will attend and hearken for times to come?

24Who hath given Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to robbers? hath not the Lord himself, against whom we have sinned? And they would not walk in his ways, and they have not hearkened to his law.

25And he hath poured out upon him the indignation of his fury, and a strong battle, and hath burnt him round about, and he knew not: and set him on fire, and he understood not.

Important Verses in Isaiah 42

Behold my servant, I will uphold him: my elect, my soul delighteth in him: I have given my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Isaiah 42:1

Thus saith the Lord God that created the heavens, and stretched them out: that established the earth, and the things that spring out of it: that giveth breath to the people upon it, and spirit to them that tread thereon.

Isaiah 42:5

I the Lord, this is my name: I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven things.

Isaiah 42:8

They shall give glory to the Lord, and shall declare his praise in the islands.

Isaiah 42:12

Historical Context

Isaiah addresses judah in crisis, the exiles in Babylon, and all who await the Messiah within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 42 of 66 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 25 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Historical attention falls on Jacob, the principal figures named in this chapter. It opens with the line: "Behold my servant, I will uphold him: my elect, my soul delighteth in him: I have given my spirit upon him, he shall…" It concludes: "And he hath poured out upon him the indignation of his fury, and a strong battle, and hath burnt him round about, and…" Read against its original backdrop, Isaiah prophesied in Jerusalem during the Assyrian crisis, calling kings to trust God rather than alliances. The book's material reflects the era summarized as follows: Isaiah's ministry about 740-700 BC; the book's later chapters address the exile and return (6th century BC).

Who Wrote It

The prophet Isaiah of Jerusalem; chapters 40-66 continue his message through inspired disciples

When It Was Written

Isaiah's ministry about 740-700 BC; the book's later chapters address the exile and return (6th century BC)

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, this oracle names the sins, judgments, or promises relevant to its original hearers. A pivotal line is verse 1: "Behold my servant, I will uphold him: my elect, my soul delighteth in him: I have given my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." The passage repeatedly touches on worship and praise.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 113). Here, Isaiah's prophecies are fulfilled in Christ, especially the Suffering Servant (CIC 601). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize worship and praise as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.
  • Christ is the Divine Physician who heals both body and soul.
  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.

People in This Chapter

Jacob1 mention

Reflection for Today

When the Church proclaims Isaiah Chapter 42 at Mass or in the Liturgy of the Hours, she treats this text as the living voice of God.

In the four senses of Scripture—literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical—the Church finds rich meaning in Isaiah Chapter 42. At the moral level, repentance and the mercy of God challenges us to examine conscience and amend our lives (CIC 2466).

Entrust your meditation to Mary, who pondered God's Word in her heart. Through her intercession, may the message of repentance and the mercy of God bear fruit in humility, courage, and charity this day.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Isaiah Chapter 42 about?

Isaiah 42 contains 25 verses. It opens with "Behold my servant, I will uphold him: my elect, my soul delighteth in him: I have given my spirit upon him, he shall…" and closes with "And he hath poured out upon him the indignation of his fury, and a strong battle, and hath burnt him round about, and…". The book as a whole is prophetic oracles and poetry.

What is a key verse in Isaiah 42?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "Behold my servant, I will uphold him: my elect, my soul delighteth in him: I have given my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Isaiah Chapter 42?

This chapter mentions Jacob.

Who wrote Isaiah and when?

The prophet Isaiah of Jerusalem; chapters 40-66 continue his message through inspired disciples. Isaiah's ministry about 740-700 BC; the book's later chapters address the exile and return (6th century BC).

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