Bible Strands
Isaiah 42:6
“I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God the LORD addresses an unnamed "you" immediately after declaring Himself Creator in Isaiah 42:5, directly preceding the description of this figure's mission to open blind eyes and free prisoners in verse 7.
The words — The Hebrew וְאֶצָּרְךָ (ve'e-tza-re-kha, "and I will keep you") derives from the root נָצַר [H5341], denoting active divine preservation and watchfulness over the called one.
The thread — The designation "light to the nations" connects to Jesus' declaration in John 8:12 and Simeon's prophecy in Luke 2:32, while the theme of God's faithful keeping aligns with the promise in Isaiah 26:3.
Why it lands — The text states that God personally calls, holds, and appoints this figure for a specific mission, requiring the reader to acknowledge that the mission's authority and preservation originate solely from divine appointment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
Cross-references
- John 8:12 Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- Luke 2:32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”
- Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
- Isaiah 49:8 This is what the LORD says: “In the time of favor I will answer You, and in the day of salvation I will help You; I will keep You and appoint You to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land, to apportion its desolate inheritances,
- Acts 13:47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
- Isaiah 49:6 He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
- 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
- Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
- Hebrews 13:20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,