I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear,
But now mine eye seeth thee. 
Therefore I loath my words,
And repent in dust and ashes.

Section XCIX.  THE TRAINING AND MISSION OF THE TRUE SERVANT OF JEHOVAH

[Sidenote:  Isa. 49:1-3]
Hearken to me, ye coastlands,
And listen, ye distant peoples: 
He hath called me from the womb,
From my mother’s lap made mention of my name. 
He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword,
In the shadow of his hand he hid me,
He made me a polished arrow,
In his quiver he concealed me,
And he said to me, Thou art my servant,
Israel, in whom I will glorify myself.

[Sidenote:  Isa. 49:4]
But I said, I have labored in vain,
I spent my strength for nothing and vanity,
Nevertheless my right is with Jehovah,
And my recompense with my God.

[Sidenote:  Isa. 49:5, 6]
And now, thus saith Jehovah,
(He who formed from birth to be his servant,
To bring Jacob back to him,
And that Israel might be gathered to him;
For I was honored in the sight of Jehovah,
And my God became my strength): 
It is too little a thing to be my servant,
To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the survivors of Israel;
Therefore I will make thee the light of the nations,
That thy salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

[Sidenote:  Isa. 49:7]
Thus saith Jehovah,
The Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One,
To him who is heartily despised,
To the one abhorred of the people, a servant of rulers: 
Kings shall see and arise,
Princes and they shall do homage,
Because of Jehovah who is faithful,
The Holy One of Israel who hath chosen thee.

[Sidenote:  Isa. 49:3-9b]
Thus saith Jehovah,
In a time of favor I answer thee,
And in a day of deliverance I help thee,
And I make thee a pledge to the people,
To raise up the [ruined] land,
To reapportion the desolate heritages,
Saying to those who are bound, ‘Go forth,’
To those in darkness, ‘Show yourselves!’

[Sidenote:  Isa. 49:9c-11]
They shall pasture along all ways,
Even oh all the bare hills shall they graze. 
They shall not be hungry nor thirsty,
Neither shall the glowing heat nor the sun smite them,
For he who hath pity on them shall lead them,
And to gushing fountains will he guide them. 
And I will make all mountains a road,
And highways shall be built up.

[Sidenote:  Isa. 49:12,18]
Behold, these come from afar,
And these from the north and west,
And these from the land of the Syenites! 
Shout with joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth! 
Let the mountains break forth into shouts of joy! 
For Jehovah hath had pity on his people,
And will show mercy to his afflicted ones.

[Sidenote:  Isa. 50:4-6]
The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of a trained disciple? 
To give to the fainting a word of help, he waketh me early,
Early he waketh me, that I may listen as a disciple. 
The Lord Jehovah hath opened mine ear,
And I have not been wilful nor turned back rebelliously.