The Meaning of Isaiah 41:9 Explained

Isaiah 41:9

KJV: Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

YLT: Whom I have taken hold of, from the ends of the earth, And from its near places I have called thee, And I say to thee, My servant Thou art, I have chosen thee, and not rejected thee.

Darby: thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from the extremities thereof, and to whom I said, Thou art my servant, I have chosen thee and not rejected thee,

ASV: thou whom I have taken hold of from the ends of the earth, and called from the corners thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant, I have chosen thee and not cast thee away;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[Thou] whom I have taken  from the ends  of the earth,  and called  thee from the chief men  thereof, and said  unto thee, Thou [art] my servant;  I have chosen  thee, and not cast thee away. 

What does Isaiah 41:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God reminded His people that He had called them from the remotest part of the earth to be His servant. He did this in Abraham"s case when He called him out of Ur into the Promised Land, and He did it in Jacob"s case when He brought him back into the land from his sojourn near Haran. God had determined not to reject His people. Israel had nothing to fear (cf. John 15:14-15).

Context Summary

Isaiah 41:1-16 - The Lord Upholdeth His Servant
The conception of this passage is superb. Jehovah is represented as summoning the earth to determine whether He or some idol of the heathen is the true God, Isaiah 41:7. Also see Isaiah 41:23. The test proposed is a simple one! Which can most precisely predict the future? Not, as in Elijah's case, is the appeal made to fire, but to the fitting of prophecy with historical fulfillment. See Isaiah 41:22-23.
While this great arbitration is in process, God turns with tender assurances to His own people. They were at this time captives in Babylon. They were poor and needy. They were surrounded by strong and crafty foes, against whom they were as powerless as a worm. But no height, however precipitous, or depth, however profound, could separate them from His love. Heart and flesh might fail, but He would strengthen; difficulties might appear insurmountable, but He would help. He does more. He takes His people, weak as worms, and makes them, if they but yield to Him, sharp threshing instruments having teeth before which the powers of evil become as chaff. O man, listen to God saying, I will make. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 41

1  God expostulates with his people, about his mercies to the church
10  About his promises
21  And about the vanity of idols

What do the individual words in Isaiah 41:9 mean?

Whom [You] I have taken from the ends of the earth and from its farthest regions called and said to you My servant You [are] I have chosen you and not have cast you away
אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶחֱזַקְתִּ֙יךָ֙ מִקְצ֣וֹת הָאָ֔רֶץ וּמֵאֲצִילֶ֖יהָ קְרָאתִ֑יךָ וָאֹ֤מַר לְךָ֙ עַבְדִּי־ אַ֔תָּה בְּחַרְתִּ֖יךָ וְלֹ֥א מְאַסְתִּֽיךָ

אֲשֶׁ֤ר  Whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הֶחֱזַקְתִּ֙יךָ֙  [You]  I  have  taken 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
מִקְצ֣וֹת  from  the  ends 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: קָצָה 
Sense: end, extremity.
הָאָ֔רֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וּמֵאֲצִילֶ֖יהָ  and  from  its  farthest  regions 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אָצִיל 
Sense: side, corner, chief.
קְרָאתִ֑יךָ  called 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
וָאֹ֤מַר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְךָ֙  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
עַבְדִּי־  My  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
אַ֔תָּה  You  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
בְּחַרְתִּ֖יךָ  I  have  chosen  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
וְלֹ֥א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
מְאַסְתִּֽיךָ  have  cast  you  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: מָאַס 
Sense: to reject, despise, refuse.