Isaiah 42 · Verse 21

Isaiah 42:21

The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.
Isaiah 42:21, King James Version

Isaiah 42:21 in other translations

BSBThe LORD was pleased, for the sake of His righteousness, to magnify His law and make it glorious.
WEBIt pleased the LORD, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify the law and make it honorable.
ASVIt pleased Jehovah, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.
YLTJehovah hath delight for the sake of His righteousness, He magnifieth law, and maketh honourable.
DARBYJehovah had delight in him for his righteousness' sake: he hath magnified the law, and made it honourable.
BBEIt was the Lord's pleasure, because of his righteousness, to make the teaching great and give it honour.
WebsterThe LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable.

What does Isaiah 42:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. his righteousness--not His people's, but His own; Is 42:24 shows that they had no righteousness (Is 45:24; 59:16). God is well pleased with His Son ("in whom My soul delighteth," Is 42:1), "who fulfils all righteousness" (Mt 3:15) for them, and with them for His sake (compare Is 42:6; Psa 71:16, 19; Mt 5:17; Ro 10:3, 4; Php 3:9). Perhaps in God's "righteousness" here is included His faithfulness to His promises given to Israel's forefathers [Rosenmuller]; because of this He is well pleased with Israel, even though displeased with their sin, which He here reproves; but that promise could only be based on the righteousness of Messiah, the promised seed, which is God's righteousness.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 He win magnify the law "He hath exalted his own praise" - For תורה torah, the law, the Septuagint read תודה todah, praise.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 42:18-25

Observe the call given to this people, and the character given of them. Multitudes are ruined for want of observing that which they cannot but see; they perish, not through ignorance, but carelessness. The Lord is well-pleased in the making known his own righteousness. For their sins they were spoiled of all their possessions. This fully came to pass in the destruction of the Jewish nation. There is no resisting…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 42:18-25 →

Isaiah 42:21 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahwehH3068
חָפֵ֖ץcha.Fetzhe was pleasedH2654
לְמַ֣עַןle.Ma.'anfor [the] sake ofH4616
צִדְק֑וֹtzid.Korighteousness hisH6664
יַגְדִּ֥ילyag.Dilhe will make greatH1431
תּוֹרָ֖הto.Rah[the] lawH8451
וְיַאְדִּֽיר\׃ve.ya'.Dirso he may make [it] gloriousH142

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 42:21

  • Hebrews 8:10

    For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

  • Romans 3:31

    Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

  • Romans 7:12

    Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

  • Matthew 5:17-20

    Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

  • Isaiah 42:4

    He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

  • Psalms 40:8

    I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

  • Isaiah 46:12-13

    Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.

  • Isaiah 1:24-27

    Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

  • Matthew 3:15

    And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

  • Psalms 71:19

    Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!

  • John 15:10

    If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

  • John 13:31-32

    Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
well.
1:24-27; 46:12,13; Ps 71:16,19; 85:9-12; Da 9:24-27; Mt 3:17; 5:17
Mt 17:5; Joh 8:29; 15:10; Ro 3:25,26; 2Co 5:19-21; Php 3:9
he will.
Ps 40:8; Mt 3:15; 5:17-20; Ro 3:31; 7:12; 8:3,4; 10:4; Ga 3:13,21
Ga 5:22,23; Heb 8:10; 1Jo 3:4,5
it. Heb. or, him.
Joh 13:31,32; 17:4,5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 42:20

    Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.

  • Isaiah 42:21

    The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

  • Isaiah 42:22

    But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

Read all of Isaiah 42

Isaiah 42:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Jehová se complació por amor de su justicia en magnificar la ley y engrandecerla.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		L’ Éternel a pris plaisir en lui à cause de sa justice: il a rendu la loi grande et honorable.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jehova gefiel es um seiner Gerechtigkeit willen, das Gesetz groß und herrlich zu machen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et Dominus voluit ut sanctificaret eum, et magnificaret legem, et extolleret.