Isaiah 42 · Verse 3

Isaiah 42:3

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
Isaiah 42:3, King James Version

Isaiah 42:3 in other translations

BSBA bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.
WEBHe won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice.
ASVA bruised reed will he not break, and a dimly burning wick will he not quench: he will bring forth justice in truth.
YLTA bruised reed he breaketh not, And dim flax he quencheth not, To truth he bringeth forth judgment.
DARBYA bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment according to truth.
BBEHe will not let a crushed stem be quite broken, and he will not let a feebly burning light be put out: he will go on sending out the true word to the peoples.
WebsterA bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment to truth.

What does Isaiah 42:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. bruised--"It pleased the Lord to bruise Him" (Is 53:5, 10; Ge 3:15); so He can feel for the bruised. As Is 42:2 described His unturbulent spirit towards His violent enemies (Mt 12:14-16), and His utter freedom from love of notoriety, so Is 42:3, His tenderness in cherishing the first spark of grace in the penitent (Is 40:11). reed--fragile: easily "shaken with the wind" (Mt 11:7). Those who are at best feeble, and who besides are oppressed by calamity or by the sense of sin. break--entirely crush or condemn. Compare "bind up the broken-hearted" (Is 50:4; 61:1; Mt 11:28). flax--put for the lamp-wick, formed of flax. The believer is the lamp (so the Greek, Mt 5:15; Joh 5:35): his conscience enlightened by the Holy Ghost is the wick. "Smoking" means "dimly burning," "smouldering," the flame not quite extinct. This expresses the positive side of the penitent's religion; as "bruised reed," the negative. Broken-hearted in himself, but not without some spark of flame: literally, "from above." Christ will supply such a one with grace as with oil. Also, the light of nature smouldering in the Gentiles amidst the hurtful fumes of error. He not only did not quench, but cleared away the mists and superadded the light of revelation. See Jerome, To Algasia, Question 2. truth--Mt 12:20 quotes it, "send forth judgment unto victory." Matthew, under the Spirit, gives the virtual sense, but varies the word, in order to bring out a fresh aspect of the same thing. Truth has in itself the elements of victory over all opposing forces. Truth is the victory of Him who is "the truth" (Joh 14:6). The gospel judicial sifting ("judgment") of believers and unbelievers, begun already in part (Joh 3:18, 19; 9:39), will be consummated victoriously in truth only at His second coming; Is 42:13, 14, here, and Mt 12:32, 36, 41, 42, show that there is reference to the judicial aspect of the Gospel, especially finally: besides the mild triumph of Jesus coming in mercy to the penitent now (Is 42:2), there shall be finally the judgment on His enemies, when the "truth" shall be perfectly developed. Compare Is 61:1-3, where the two comings are similarly joined (Psa 2:4-6, 8; Re 15:2, 4; 19:11-16). On "judgment," see on Is 42:1.

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

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 42:1-4

The character and coming of Christ. (Is. 42:1-4) The blessings of his kingdom. (Is. 42:5-12) The prevalence of true religion. (Is. 42:13-17) Unbelief and blindness reproved. (Is. 42:18-25) Verses 1-4 This prophecy was fulfilled in Christ, Matt. 12:17. Let our souls rely on him, and rejoice in him; then, for his sake, the Father will be well-pleased with us. The Holy Spirit not only came, but rested upon him, and…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 42:1-4 →

Isaiah 42:3 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.

קָנֶ֤הka.Neha reedH7070
רָצוּץ֙ra.TzutzcrushedH7533
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
יִשְׁבּ֔וֹרyish.Borhe will breakH7665
וּפִשְׁתָּ֥הu.fish.Tahand a wickH6594
כֵהָ֖הkhe.HahdimH3544
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
יְכַבֶּ֑נָּהye.khab.Be.nahhe will extinguish itH3518
לֶאֱמֶ֖תle.'e.Metto faithfulnessH571
יוֹצִ֥יאyo.Tzi'he will bring forthH3318
מִשְׁפָּֽט\׃mish.PatjusticeH4941

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

Cross references for Isaiah 42:3

  • Ezekiel 34:16

    I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

  • Jeremiah 31:25

    For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.

  • Psalms 147:3

    He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

  • Matthew 11:28

    Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

  • Isaiah 40:11

    He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

  • Isaiah 11:3-4

    And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

  • John 5:30

    I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

  • Matthew 18:10-14

    Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. …

  • Revelation 19:11

    And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

  • John 20:19-21

    Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

  • Psalms 96:13

    Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

  • Psalms 98:9

    Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
bruised.
35:3,4; 40:11,29-31; 50:4,10; 57:15-18; 61:1-3; 66:2; Ps 103:13,14
Ps 147:3; Jer 30:12-17; 31:18-20,25; Eze 34:16; Mt 11:28; 18:11-14
Lu 22:31,32; Joh 20:19-21,27; Heb 2:17,18
smoking. or, dimly burning. quench. Heb. quench it. heshall.
11:3,4; Ps 72:2-4; 96:13; 98:9; Mic 7:9; Joh 5:30; Re 19:11

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

Context

  • Isaiah 42:2

    He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

  • Isaiah 42:3

    A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

  • 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.

Read all of Isaiah 42

Isaiah 42:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No quebrará la caña cascada, ni apagará el pábilo que humeare: sacará el juicio á verdad.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il ne brisera pas le roseau froissé, et n’éteindra pas le lin qui brûle à peine. Il fera valoir le jugement en faveur de la vérité.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Das geknickte Rohr wird er nicht zerbrechen, und den glimmenden Docht wird er nicht auslöschen; er wird der Wahrheit gemäß das Recht kundtun.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Calamum quassatum non conteret, et linum fumigans non extinguet: in veritate educet judicium.