Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets (916), Aleppo Codex (10th century), Codex Leningradensis (1008).^[1]

Fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls (3rd century BC or later):

• 1QIsa^a: complete
• 1QIsa^b: extant: verses 1‑13, 15
• 4QIsa^b (4Q56): extant: verses 21-23
• 4QIsa^d (4Q58): extant: verses 1‑15

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^Q; 6th century).^[2]

Verse 1

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far;

The LORD hath called me from the womb;

from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.^[5]

• "Isles" (KJV; NKJV: "coastlands" or "islands") are frequently referred to in Deutero-Isaiah (Isaiah 40–55). The first reference is in 40:15.

Verse 11

And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.^[6]

• "Shall be exalted" or "shall be elevated" is translated from the Hebrew word יְרֻמֽוּן, yə-ru-mūn,^[7] in the sense of being "lifted up" into "well-made roads".^[8]

Verse 12

Behold, these shall come from far:

and, lo, these from the north and from the west;

and these from the land of Sinim.^[9]

• "Sinim" (Hebrew: סִינִֽים, sî-nîm;^[10] NIV: "Aswan" based on 'Dead Sea Scrolls'): a word that only found here in the Bible, could be interpreted as "Persia" (Septuagint Greek: γῆς Περσῶν, tes Person^[11]), "the South" (Vulgate Latin: terra australi^[12]) or even "China" (cf. the English term 'sinologist' comes from the Greek word for 'Chinese'), but the most can be said safely is that verse 12 foresees many converts coming from far distant places, of which 'Sinim' was a notable example.^[13]

Verse 16

See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;

Your walls are continually before Me.^[14]

Biblical translator and commentator Robert Lowth suggests that there was "some practice, common among the Jews at that time, of making marks on their hands or arms by punctures on the skin, with some sort of sign or representation of the city (i.e. Jerusalem) or temple, to shew their affection and zeal for it".^[15]

Verse 22

Thus saith the Lord GOD,

Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people:

and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.^[16]

• Cross reference: Isaiah 2:3; Isaiah 11:10; Isaiah 43:6; Isaiah 60:3; Isaiah 66:12

Jewish

• Isaiah 49: Hebrew with Parallel English

Christian

• Isaiah 49 English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate Archived 2016-07-04 at the Wayback Machine
• Catholic Encyclopedia: Messiah
• Israel, the Suffering Servant Archived 2016-11-04 at the Wayback Machine