Isaiah 50

ישעיהו פרק נ׳

Section: נביאים · נביאים אחרונים | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 50 of 66 | Day: 197 of 742

Date: August 27, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

Isaiah 50 belongs to the great cycle of consolation that dominates the second half of the book, and it opens with a striking legal metaphor drawn from the law of marriage. God challenges the exiled nation to produce the bill of divorce (סֵפֶר כְּרִיתוּת) by which He supposedly cast off their “mother” — the community as a whole — or to name the creditor to whom He supposedly sold them. The answer is that no such document and no such creditor exist. As Metzudat David and Radak both explain, the exile was never a permanent severance; it was the temporary consequence of the people’s own sins (בַּעֲוֺנֹתֵיכֶם) and crimes (בְּפִשְׁעֵיכֶם). Because the estrangement was caused by their conduct rather than by any irrevocable act of rejection on God’s part, teshuvah can undo it, and restoration remains fully within reach. Radak draws the poignant contrast with Jeremiah’s language of a bill of divorce given to the northern tribes, reading our chapter as God’s assurance to Judah that between Him and them stands no such decree of final parting.

The opening section then turns from the metaphor of divorce to the reality of divine power. God asks why, when He came and called, no one answered — and insists that His silence was never a sign of weakness. His arm is not too short to rescue (הֲקָצוֹר קָצְרָה יָדִי מִפְּדוּת). To prove it He invokes the language of creation and of the Exodus: with a mere rebuke He can dry up the sea, turn rivers to wilderness, and clothe the heavens in blackness and sackcloth (קַדְרוּת וְשַׂק). The commentators anchor these images in the splitting of the Red Sea and the plague of darkness in Egypt, arguing that a God who bends the elements to His will can surely gather His people from among the nations. The failure to be redeemed lay not in any limit on God’s strength but in the people’s failure to return to Him.

At the heart of the chapter stands the third of Isaiah’s “Servant” passages, spoken in the first person (verses 4 through 9). In Jewish tradition this servant is understood as the prophet himself, or as faithful Israel personified. He testifies that God gave him a “learned tongue” (לְשׁוֹן לִמּוּדִים) — the trained, ready speech of one skilled in his craft — precisely in order to sustain the weary with a timely word. Morning by morning God rouses his ear to listen “like disciples” (כַּלִּמּוּדִים), and the servant did not rebel or turn back from the mission. Rashi weaves in the tradition that the prophet accepted his calling on the condition that he not grow angry with a stubborn people, and Radak stresses that unlike Jeremiah’s momentary reluctance, this servant went willingly, out of love for God.

The servant’s obedience is then tested by suffering. He gave his back to those who struck him and his cheeks to those who tore out his hair; he did not hide his face from insult and spitting (מִכְּלִמּוֹת וָרֹק). Yet through it all he is unshaken, because he knows that his Sovereign will help him: therefore he set his face “like flint” (כַּחַלָּמִישׁ) and is certain he will not be put to shame. The passage rises into courtroom language — the very idiom of the chapter’s opening. “My Vindicator is at hand” (קָרוֹב מַצְדִּיקִי); who dares contend with me? Let the accuser step forward. The one who helps him is God Himself, and against such an advocate every opponent will simply wear out like a moth-eaten garment (עָשׁ יֹאכְלֵם). The servant’s steadfast trust under persecution becomes the model of confident faith the chapter wishes to instill.

The chapter closes with a two-sided exhortation that divides its listeners. To the God-fearing who heed the voice of the servant yet walk in darkness with no light, the prophet counsels trust: let them lean on the name of God and rely upon their God, for the darkness is not the end of the story. But to those who kindle their own fires and gird themselves with firebrands (מְאַזְּרֵי זִיקוֹת) — who rely on their own devices rather than on God — the word is a warning: walk by the light of your own blaze if you will, but this has come from God’s hand, and you shall lie down in sorrow (לְמַעֲצֵבָה תִּשְׁכָּבוּן). Set within the larger arc of Isaiah’s consolation prophecies, the chapter thus holds together two truths: God’s power and willingness to redeem are absolute, and the servant’s unwavering trust points the way; but redemption is claimed only by those who return and rely on God rather than on the fires of their own making.

פרק נ׳ · Chapter 50

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה אֵ֣י זֶ֠ה סֵ֣פֶר כְּרִית֤וּת אִמְּכֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שִׁלַּחְתִּ֔יהָ א֚וֹ מִ֣י מִנּוֹשַׁ֔י אֲשֶׁר־מָכַ֥רְתִּי אֶתְכֶ֖ם ל֑וֹ הֵ֤ן בַּעֲוֺנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ נִמְכַּרְתֶּ֔ם וּבְפִשְׁעֵיכֶ֖ם שֻׁלְּחָ֥ה אִמְּכֶֽם׃

English:

Thus said GOD:aI.e., the mother (the country) has not been formally divorced, nor the children (the people) sold because of poverty. Therefore there is no obstacle to their restoration. Where is the bill of divorceOf your mother whom I dismissed?And which of My creditors was itTo whom I sold you off?You were only sold off for your sins,And your mother dismissed for your crimes.

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

מַדּ֨וּעַ בָּ֜אתִי וְאֵ֣ין אִ֗ישׁ קָרָ֘אתִי֮ וְאֵ֣ין עוֹנֶה�� הֲקָצ֨וֹר קָצְרָ֤ה יָדִי֙ מִפְּד֔וּת וְאִם־אֵֽין־בִּ֥י כֹ֖חַ לְהַצִּ֑יל הֵ֣ן בְּגַעֲרָתִ֞י אַחֲרִ֣יב יָ֗ם אָשִׂ֤ים נְהָרוֹת֙ מִדְבָּ֔ר תִּבְאַ֤שׁ דְּגָתָם֙ מֵאֵ֣ין מַ֔יִם וְתָמֹ֖ת בַּצָּמָֽא׃

English:

Why, when I came, was no one there,bno one there As a covenantal partner. Why, when I called, would none respond?Is my arm, then, too short to rescue,Have I not the power to save?With a mere rebuke I dry up the sea,And turn rivers into desert.Their fish stink from lack of water;They lie dead of thirst.cof thirst Change of vocalization yields “on the parched ground”; cf. 44.3.

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

אַלְבִּ֥ישׁ שָׁמַ֖יִם קַדְר֑וּת וְשַׂ֖ק אָשִׂ֥ים כְּסוּתָֽם׃ {פ}

English:

I clothe the skies in blacknessAnd make their raiment sackcloth.

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֗ה נָ֤תַן לִי֙ לְשׁ֣וֹן לִמּוּדִ֔ים לָדַ֛עַת לָע֥וּת אֶת־יָעֵ֖ף דָּבָ֑ר יָעִ֣יר ׀ בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֗קֶר יָעִ֥יר לִי֙ אֹ֔זֶן לִשְׁמֹ֖עַ כַּלִּמּוּדִֽים׃

English:

My Sovereign GOD gave me a skilled tongue,To know how to speak timely words to the weary.dMy Sovereign GOD gave me … words to the weary Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Morning by morning, [God] rouses me,Rousing my earTo give heed like disciples.

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

אֲדֹנָ֤י יֱהֹוִה֙ פָּתַֽח־לִ֣י אֹ֔זֶן וְאָנֹכִ֖י לֹ֣א מָרִ֑יתִי אָח֖וֹר לֹ֥א נְסוּגֹֽתִי׃

English:

My Sovereign GOD opened my ears,And I did not disobey,I did not run away.

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

גֵּוִי֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְמַכִּ֔ים וּלְחָיַ֖י לְמֹֽרְטִ֑ים פָּנַי֙ לֹ֣א הִסְתַּ֔רְתִּי מִכְּלִמּ֖וֹת וָרֹֽק׃

English:

I offered my back to the floggers,And my cheeks to those who tore out my hair.I did not hide my faceFrom insult and spittle.

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וַאדֹנָ֤י יֱהֹוִה֙ יַֽעֲזׇר־לִ֔י עַל־כֵּ֖ן לֹ֣א נִכְלָ֑מְתִּי עַל־כ��ֵ֞ן שַׂ֤מְתִּי פָנַי֙ כַּחַלָּמִ֔ישׁ וָאֵדַ֖ע כִּי־לֹ֥א אֵבֽוֹשׁ׃

English:

But my Sovereign GOD will help me—Therefore I feel no disgrace;Therefore I have set my face like flint,And I know I shall not be shamed.

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

קָרוֹב֙ מַצְדִּיקִ֔י מִֽי־יָרִ֥יב אִתִּ֖י נַ֣עַמְדָה יָּ֑חַד מִי־בַ֥עַל מִשְׁפָּטִ֖י יִגַּ֥שׁ אֵלָֽי׃

English:

My Vindicator is at hand—Who dares contend with me?Let us stand up together!eLet us stand up together As opponents in court; cf. Num. 35.12. Who would be my opponent?Let them approach me!

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

הֵ֣ן אֲדֹנָ֤י יֱהֹוִה֙ יַעֲזׇר־לִ֔י מִי־ה֖וּא יַרְשִׁיעֵ֑נִי הֵ֤ן כֻּלָּם֙ כַּבֶּ֣גֶד יִבְל֔וּ עָ֖שׁ יֹאכְלֵֽם׃ {ס}        

English:

Lo, my Sovereign GOD will help me—Who can get a verdict against me?They shall all wear out like a garment,The moth shall consume them.

פסוק י׳ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

מִ֤י בָכֶם֙ יְרֵ֣א יְהֹוָ֔ה שֹׁמֵ֖עַ בְּק֣וֹל עַבְדּ֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ הָלַ֣ךְ חֲשֵׁכִ֗ים וְאֵ֥ין נֹ֙גַהּ֙ ל֔וֹ יִבְטַח֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהֹוָ֔ה וְיִשָּׁעֵ֖ן בֵּאלֹהָֽיו׃ {ס}        

English:

Who among you reveres GOD And heeds the voice of the appointedfthe appointed Lit. “His”; cf. 49.1, 5. servant?—Though walking in darknessAnd having no light,Let them trust in the name of GOD And rely upon hisghis I.e., the servant’s. God.

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

הֵ֧ן כֻּלְּכֶ֛ם קֹ֥דְחֵי אֵ֖שׁ מְאַזְּרֵ֣י זִיק֑וֹת לְכ֣וּ ׀ בְּא֣וּר אֶשְׁכֶ֗ם וּבְזִיקוֹת֙ בִּֽעַרְתֶּ֔ם מִיָּדִי֙ הָיְתָה־זֹּ֣את לָכֶ֔ם לְמַעֲצֵבָ֖ה תִּשְׁכָּבֽוּן׃ {ס}        

English:

But you are all kindlers of fire,Girding onhGirding on Emendation yields “Lighters of.” firebrands.Walk by the blaze of your fire,By the brands that you have lit!This has come to you from My hand:You shall lie down in pain.iYou shall lie down in pain Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

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