Listen to me, you islands;

Hear this, you distant nations:

Before I was born the LORD called me;

From my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.

 

He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,

In the shadow of his hand he hid me;

He made me into a polished arrow

And concealed me in his quiver.

 

He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel,

In whom I will display my splendor."

 

But I said, “I have labored in vain;

I have spent my strength for nothing at all.

Yet what is due me is in the LORD’s hand,

And my reward is with my God.”

 

And now the LORD says- he who formed me in the womb to be his servant

To bring Jacob back to him

And gather Israel to himself,

For I am honored in the eyes of the LORD

And my God has been my strength-

 

He says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant

To restore the tribes of Jacob

And bring back those of Israel I have kept.

I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,

That my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

-Isaiah 49:1-6

 

     These verses make up a small but beautiful poem. They are a prophecy, but also an introduction to what comes later in the chapter. Approach them with humility and the honor due to a sovereign, and this chapter blooms like a flower.

     For your benefit and meditation, here is the structure of the Hebrew poetic parallelisms in these six verses:

 

1. Synonymous/Synonymous>Synthetic
2. Synthetic/Synthetic>Synonymous
3. Synthetic
4. Synonymous/Synonymous>Synthetic
5. Stairlike
6. Stairlike

 

     These are not just abstract or miscellaneous distinctions. Learn to read Hebrew poetry this way, and you will never look at it the same way again. This chapter is not simply meant to be read, but to become immersed in.

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"Listen to me, you islands;

Hear this, you distant nations:

Before I was born the LORD called me;

From my mother’s womb he has spoken my name."

 

     Verse 1, as mentioned, contains two Synonymous parallelisms that combine to form a Synthetic parallelism. It announces immediately that this message is for everyone, the entire inhabited earth. Then it speaks of something that has been in the works for a very long time. Taken together, these Synonymous parallels form a Synthetic parallel, that says: This one, called from the beginning, mentioned ahead of time, will have a profound effect on the entire world.

_____

 

"He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,

In the shadow of his hand he hid me;

He made me into a polished arrow

And concealed me in his quiver."

 

     Verse 2 contains two Synthetic parallels that combine to form a Synonymous parallel. Two Synthetic parallels with the same Synonymous ending-

 

"In the shadow of his hand he hid me;

And concealed me in his quiver."

 

     Even among his contemporaries on earth, Jesus' true nature was hidden, except to those closest to him, or to those with faith. He was revealed in his glory when he was transfigured in front of Peter, John, and James.

 

"He made my mouth like a sharpened sword."

 

     This well describes the glorified Jesus. It is the description portrayed at Revelation 1:16:

 

"...and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword."

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     Verse 3 is a standard Synthetic parallel, the second part neither repeats nor contrasts the first part, but rather adds to or enlarges upon it.

 

He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel,

In whom I will display my splendor."

 

     This is a wonderful verse. It identifies the speaker from verse 2 as God's servant, through whom God would show his magnificence to the entire world. This servant's connection with Israel becomes plain in later verses of this chapter.

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     Verse 4, like verse 1, contains two Synonymous parallels that combine into one Synthetic parallel. God's servant responds:

 

But I said, “I have labored in vain;

I have spent my strength for nothing at all.

Yet what is due me is in the LORD’s hand,

And my reward is with my God.”

 

     The Synthesis is that God's servant would appear to have failed, toiled for nothing. But not so, because he commends himself to God.

_____

 

     Now we come to verses 5 & 6: Both Stair-like parallelisms. A Stair-like parallel is when several succeeding lines of a verse all hearken back to the first line of the verse. Stair-like parallels provide multiple ways to look at something, and often they are Synthetic in nature in that they enlarge the thought. In this case we have two Stair-like verses in a row.

     Stair-like verses are well named, because, like mounting stairs, when you reach the end of the verse, you are on a different level. Spiritually speaking, you open to a keener understanding and are better prepared for what follows.

     Verse 5 reminds the reader that God formed his servant from the womb. But for what purpose? 

 

• God's servant will bring Jacob back to God.
• So that Israel may be gathered to Him.
• God's servant will become glorified in the eyes of God.
• And God will have become His servant's strength.

 

     This becomes important later in the chapter as well.

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     Verse 6, like many good Stair-like parallels, is also Synthetic in that it enlarges the original thought:

 

"It is too small a thing for you to be my servant"

 

• To restore the tribes of Jacob.
• And bring back those of Israel I have kept.
• I will also make you a light for the Gentiles.
• That my salvation may reach the ends of the earth

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     Remember, these first six verses of chapter 49 are only an introduction for what comes later in the chapter. We will discuss this in greater detail in another article-