Matthew 12 · Verse 20

Matthew 12:20

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
Matthew 12:20, King James Version

Matthew 12:20 in other translations

BSBA bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory.
WEBHe won’t break a bruised reed. He won’t quench a smoking flax, until he leads justice to victory.
ASVA bruised reed shall he not break, And smoking flax shall he not quench, Till he send forth judgment unto victory.
YLTa bruised reed he shall not break, and smoking flax he shall not quench, till he may put forth judgment to victory,
DARBYa bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, until he bring forth judgment unto victory;
BBEThe crushed stem will not be broken by him; and the feebly burning light will he not put out, till he has made righteousness overcome all.
WebsterA bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he shall send forth judgment to victory.

What does Matthew 12:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
20. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory--"unto truth," says the Hebrew original, and the Septuagint also. But our Evangelist merely seizes the spirit, instead of the letter of the prediction in this point. The grandeur and completeness of Messiah's victories would prove, it seems, not more wonderful than the unobtrusive noiselessness with which they were to be achieved. And whereas one rough touch will break a bruised reed, and quench the flickering, smoking flax, His it should be, with matchless tenderness, love, and skill, to lift up the meek, to strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees, to comfort all that mourn, to say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. A bruised reed, etc. The reed is an emblem of feebleness, as well as change, Mt 11:7. A bruised, broken reed, is an emblem of the poor and oppressed. It means that he would not oppress the feeble and poor, as victorious warriors and conquerors did. It is also an expressive emblem of the soul, broken and contrite on account of sin, weeping and mourning for transgression. He will not break it. That is, he will not be haughty, unforgiving, and cruel. He will heal it, pardon it, and give it strength.

Smoking flax. This refers to the wick of a lamp when the oil is exhausted--the dying, flickering flame and smoke that hang over it. It is an emblem, also, of feebleness and infirmity. He would not farther oppress it, and extinguish it. He would not be like the Jews, proud and overbearing, and trampling down the poor. It is expressive, also, of the languishing graces of the people of God. He will not treat them harshly or unkindly, but will cherish the feeble flame, minister the oil of grace, and kindle it into a blaze.

Till he send forth judgment unto victory. Judgment here means truth --the truth of God, the gospel. It shall be victorious. It shall not be vanquished. Though not such a conqueror as the Jews expected, ye he shall conquer. Though mild and retiring, yet his scheme shall be victorious.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 A bruised reed shall he not break - A reed is, in Scripture, the emblem of weakness, Eze 29:6; and a bruised reed must signify that state of weakness that borders on dissolution and death. And smoking flax shall he not quench - Λινον τυφομενον. Λινος means the wick of a lamp, and τυφομενον is intended to point out its expiring state, when the oil has been all burnt away from it, and nothing is left but a mere snuff, emitting smoke. Some suppose the Jewish state, as to ecclesiastical matters, is here intended, the prophecy declaring that Christ would not destroy it, but leave it to expire of itself, as it already contained the principles of its own destruction. Others have considered it as implying that great tenderness with which the blessed Jesus should treat the weak and the ignorant, whose good desires must not be stifled, but encouraged. The bruised reed may recover itself, if permitted to vegetate under the genial influences of heaven; and the life and light of the expiring lamp may be supported by the addition of fresh oil. Jesus therefore quenches not faint desires after salvation, even in the worst and most undeserving of men; for even such desires may lead to the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of peace. Judgment unto victory - See Mat 12:18. By judgment, understand the Gospel, and by victory its complete triumph over Jewish opposition, and Gentile impiety. He will continue by these mild and gentle means to work till the whole world is Christianized, and the universe filled with his glory.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 12:14-21

The Pharisees took counsel to find some accusation, that Jesus might be condemned to death. Aware of their design, as his time was not come, he retired from that place. Face does not more exactly answer to face in water, than the character of Christ drawn by the prophet, to his temper and conduct as described by the evangelists. Let us with cheerful confidence commit our souls to so kind and faithful a Friend. Far…

Read the full comment on Matthew 12:14-21 →

Matthew 12:20 in the original Greek

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.

κάλαμονkalamonA reedG2563
συντετριμμένονsuntetrimmenonbruisedG4937
οὐounotG3756
κατεάξειkateaxeiHe will breakG2608
καὶkaiandG2532
λίνονlinona wickG3043
τυφόμενονtuphomenonsmolderingG5188
οὐounotG3756
σβέσειsbeseiHe will quenchG4570
ἕωςhe'ōsuntilG2193
ἂνanwhenG302
ἐκβάλῃekbalēHe shall leadG1544
εἰςeistoG1519
νῖκοςnikosvictoryG3534
τὴνtēn<the>G3588
κρίσιν.krisinjustice.G2920

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

Cross references for Matthew 12:20

  • Isaiah 42:3-4

    A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

  • 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.

  • Isaiah 61:1-3

    The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

  • Luke 4:18

    The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

  • Psalms 147:3

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

  • Lamentations 3:31-34

    For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth,

  • Psalms 51:17

    The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

  • Hebrews 12:12-13

    Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

  • 2 Corinthians 2:7

    So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

  • Matthew 11:28

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

  • 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

    For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

  • Revelation 6:2

    And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
bruised.
11:28; 2Ki 18:21; Ps 51:17; 147:3; Isa 40:11; 57:15; 61:1-3
La 3:31-34; Eze 34:16; Lu 4:18; 2Co 2:7; Heb 12:12,13
till.
Ps 98:1-3; Isa 42:3,4; Ro 15:17-19; 2Co 2:14; 10:3-5; Re 6:2
Re 19:11-21

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

Context

  • Matthew 12:19

    He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

  • Matthew 12:20

    A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

  • Matthew 12:21

    And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

Read all of Matthew 12

Matthew 12:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		La caña cascada no quebrará, y el pábilo que humea no apagará, hasta que saque á victoria el juicio.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		il ne brisera pas le roseau froissé, et il n’éteindra pas le lumignon qui fume, jusqu’à ce qu’il ait produit en victoire le jugement;
German
Elberfelder 1871		ein geknicktes Rohr wird er nicht zerbrechen, und einen glimmenden Docht wird er nicht auslöschen, bis er das Gericht hinausführe zum Siege;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		arundinem quassatam non confringet, et linum fumigans non extinguet, donec ejiciat ad victoriam judicium: