Isaiah 42 Bible study: Behold, my servant

The chapter opens, "Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations" (42:1) (tap servant, delights). Here is what almost everyone misses: in four verses the word justice comes three times, each time mishpat (tap justice). He "will bring justice to the nations" (42:1); "He will faithfully bring justice" (42:3); and "He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice on the earth" (42:4). The same verses say how he brings it: "He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street" (42:2), and "He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick" (42:3) (tap bruised, fail). The last line reaches the far places: "the islands wait for his law" (42:4) (tap wait, law).

Isaiah 42:1→leads toMatthew 12:17-21

Isaiah says, "Behold, my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights: I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations" (Isaiah 42:1), and "He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick" (Isaiah 42:3). In Matthew, "Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all" (Matthew 12:15), "and commanded them that they should not make him known" (Matthew 12:16). Then Matthew writes, "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying" (Matthew 12:17), and gives the words: "Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations" (Matthew 12:18), "He will not strive, nor shout, neither will anyone hear his voice in the streets" (Matthew 12:19), "He won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory" (Matthew 12:20), "In his name, the nations will hope" (Matthew 12:21). Matthew names Isaiah, and gives these words right after telling that Jesus withdrew, healed them all, and commanded them not to make him known. Among the places where the WEB words the two differently: whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights (Isaiah 42:1) and whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased (Matthew 12:18); a dimly burning wick (Isaiah 42:3) and a smoking flax (Matthew 12:20); the islands wait for his law (Isaiah 42:4) and In his name, the nations will hope (Matthew 12:21). How the servant passages of Isaiah fit together is chapter 49's honest question; each reading it sets out agrees that Matthew applies 42:1-4 to Jesus.

מִשְׁפָּטmishpatsay mish-PAHT

Brown-Driver-Briggs gives "judgment", and among its senses "justice, right, rectitude". Strong's: "properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially". "He will bring justice to the nations" (42:1). The chapter's first four verses have it three times (42:1, 42:3, 42:4), and the WEB gives all three as justice. Isaiah has the word 42 times. In Matthew's quotation of these verses the WEB has justice twice: "He will proclaim justice to the nations" (Matthew 12:18), and "until he leads justice to victory" (Matthew 12:20).