Isaiah 50
Expanded Bible
Israel Was Punished for Its Sin
50 This is what the Lord says :
“People of Israel, you say I ·divorced [L sent away] your mother.
Then where is the certificate of divorce that proves it?
Or ·do you think I sold you to pay a debt [L to which of my creditors did I sell you]?
Because of ·the evil things you did [your sins/iniquities], I sold you.
Because of ·the times she turned against me [your transgressions], your mother was sent away.
2 ·I came home and found [L Why, when I came, did I find…?] no one there;
I called, but no one answered.
·Do you think I am not able [L Is my hand too short] to ·save [redeem] you [59:1]?
Do I not have the power to save you?
·Look [T Behold], ·I need only to shout and [L With my rebuke] the sea becomes dry [Ex. 14:21].
I change rivers into a desert [Josh. 3:16],
and their fish rot because there is no water;
they die of thirst.
3 I can ·make the skies dark [L clothe the skies/heavens in darkness; Rev. 6:12];
I can make ·them black like clothes of sadness [L sackcloth their covering].”
God’s Servant Obeys
4 The Lord God gave me the ·ability to teach [L tongue of a student/learned one]
so that I know what to say to make the ·weak [weary] strong.
Every morning he wakes me.
He ·teaches me [L awakens my ear] to listen like a student [C this passage (50:4–11) is the third of four “servant songs” in Isaiah; see 42:1].
5 The Lord God ·helps me learn [or speaks clearly to me; L has opened my ear],
and I have not ·turned against him [rebelled]
nor ·stopped following him [turned away/back].
6 I offered my back to those who beat me.
I offered my cheeks to those who ·pulled [ripped out] my beard.
I ·won’t [or did not] hide my face from them
when they ·make fun of [mocked; insulted; shamed] me and spit at me [53:5; Matt. 26:67; 27:26; Mark 15:19; Luke 22:63].
7 The Lord God helps me,
so I will not be ·ashamed [disgraced].
I ·will be determined [L have set my face like flint; Ezek. 3:8–9],
and I know I will not be ·disgraced [put to shame].
8 He ·shows that I am innocent [vindicates], and he is ·close to me [near].
So who can ·accuse me [bring charges against me; Rom. 8:33–34]?
If there is someone, let us ·go to court [L stand up] together.
·If someone wants to prove I have done wrong [L Who are my accusers?],
he should ·come and tell [challenge; L come near] me.
9 Look! It is the Lord God who helps me.
So who can ·prove me guilty [condemn me]?
Look! All those who try will ·become useless like old clothes [wear out like a garment];
moths will eat them.
10 Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys his servant?
The person who walks in the dark without light
should trust in the [L name of the] Lord and depend on his God.
11 ·But instead [or Look; Behold], ·some of you want to [L all of you who] light your own fires
and make your own light.
So, go, walk in the light of your fires,
and trust ·your own light to guide you [the torches you have ignited].
But this is what you will receive from ·me [my hand]:
You will lie down in ·a place of pain [torment; C could refer to physical pain in the present world or to the torment of hell].
Isaiah 50
English Standard Version
Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience
50 Thus says the Lord:
“Where is (A)your mother's certificate of divorce,
with which (B)I sent her away?
Or (C)which of my creditors is it
to whom I have sold you?
(D)Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,
and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
2 (E)Why, when I came, was there no man;
why, when I called, was there no one to answer?
(F)Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?
Or have I no power to deliver?
(G)Behold, by my rebuke (H)I dry up the sea,
(I)I make the rivers a desert;
(J)their fish stink for lack of water
and die of thirst.
3 (K)I clothe the heavens with blackness
and make sackcloth their covering.”
4 The Lord God has given (L)me
the tongue of those who are taught,
that (M)I may know how to sustain with a word
(N)him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
he awakens my ear
to hear as those who are taught.
5 (O)The Lord God has opened my ear,
(P)and I was not rebellious;
I turned not backward.
6 (Q)I gave my back to those who strike,
and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
from disgrace and spitting.
7 But the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
(R)therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
8 (S)He who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me.
9 (T)Behold, the Lord God helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;
the moth will eat them up.
10 Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys (U)the voice of his servant?
(V)Let him who walks in darkness
and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.
11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire,
who equip yourselves with burning torches!
Walk by the light of your fire,
and by the torches that you have kindled!
(W)This you have from my hand:
you shall lie down in torment.
Isaiah 50
New King James Version
The Servant, Israel’s Hope
50 Thus says the Lord:
“Where is (A)the certificate of your mother’s divorce,
Whom I have put away?
Or which of My (B)creditors is it to whom I have sold you?
For your iniquities (C)you have sold yourselves,
And for your transgressions your mother has been put away.
2 Why, when I came, was there no man?
Why, when I called, was there none to answer?
Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem?
Or have I no power to deliver?
Indeed with My (D)rebuke I dry up the sea,
I make the rivers a wilderness;
Their fish stink because there is no water,
And die of thirst.
3 (E)I clothe the heavens with blackness,
(F)And I make sackcloth their covering.”
4 “The(G) Lord God has given Me
The tongue of the learned,
That I should know how to speak
A word in season to him who is (H)weary.
He awakens Me morning by morning,
He awakens My ear
To hear as the learned.
5 The Lord God (I)has opened My ear;
And I was not (J)rebellious,
Nor did I turn away.
6 (K)I gave My back to those who struck Me,
And (L)My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard;
I did not hide My face from shame and (M)spitting.
7 “For the Lord God will help Me;
Therefore I will not be disgraced;
Therefore (N)I have set My face like a flint,
And I know that I will not be ashamed.
8 (O)He is near who justifies Me;
Who will contend with Me?
Let us stand together.
Who is [a]My adversary?
Let him come near Me.
9 Surely the Lord God will help Me;
Who is he who will condemn Me?
(P)Indeed they will all grow old like a garment;
(Q)The moth will eat them up.
10 “Who among you fears the Lord?
Who obeys the voice of His Servant?
Who (R)walks in darkness
And has no light?
(S)Let him trust in the name of the Lord
And rely upon his God.
11 Look, all you who kindle a fire,
Who encircle yourselves with sparks:
Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled—
(T)This you shall have from My hand:
You shall lie down (U)in torment.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 50:8 Lit. master of My judgment
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
