Isaiah 42:2-4

42:2 He will not cry out or shout;

he will not publicize himself in the streets. ¹ 

42:3 A crushed reed he will not break,

a dim wick he will not extinguish; ² 

he will faithfully make just decrees. ³ 

42:4 He will not grow dim or be crushed ⁴ 

before establishing justice on the earth;

the coastlands ⁵  will wait in anticipation for his decrees.” ⁶ 

[42:2]  ¹ tn Heb “he will not cause his voice to be heard in the street.”

[42:3]  ² sn The “crushed reed” and “dim wick” symbolize the weak and oppressed who are on the verge of extinction.

[42:3]  ³ tn Heb “faithfully he will bring out justice” (cf. NASB, NRSV).

[42:4]  ³ tn For rhetorical effect the terms used to describe the “crushed (רָצַץ, ratsats) reed” and “dim (כָּהָה, kahah) wick” in v. 3 are repeated here.

[42:4]  ⁴ tn Or “islands” (NIV); NLT “distant lands beyond the sea.”

[42:4]  ⁵ tn Or “his law” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NIV) or “his instruction” (NLT).