The Meaning of Isaiah 42:11 Explained

Isaiah 42:11

KJV: Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

YLT: The wilderness and its cities do lift up the voice, The villages Kedar doth inhabit, Sing do the inhabitants of Sela, From the top of mountains they cry.

Darby: Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains:

ASV: Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice , the villages that Kedar doth inhabit; let the inhabitants of Sela sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Let the wilderness  and the cities  thereof lift up  [their voice], the villages  [that] Kedar  doth inhabit:  let the inhabitants  of the rock  sing,  let them shout  from the top  of the mountains. 

What does Isaiah 42:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 42:1-13 - The Work Of The Lord's Servant
We cannot doubt the application of this passage to our Lord, Matthew 12:18-20. The unobtrusiveness of His life and work was clearly demonstrated in every hour of His sojourn among men. He silenced those whom He healed. He stole away from the multitudes for prayer. He stayed in Galilee till His brethren were angry at His reluctance to show Himself to the people. He did not "strive, nor cry."
How meek and lowly was our Lord! A "reed" is typical of a heart broken by unkindness or a sense of sin. There is no beauty in the russet plume. It will not even serve for the shepherd's pipe. The "smoking flax" cannot ignite, because hardly able to remain aglow. This is the symbol of one whose love is tardy and cold. But such our Lord does not ignore. He can use the commonest and most unlikely materials.
He is never discouraged and cannot fail; and since He cannot, neither shall the Church, nor shall we. His love and power are pledged to us. Let us sing to Him and of Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 42

1  The office of Christ, graced with meekness and constancy
5  God's promise unto him
10  An exhortation to praise God for his Gospel
13  God will manifest himself, and check idolatry
18  He reproves the people of incredulity

What do the individual words in Isaiah 42:11 mean?

Let lift up [their voice] the wilderness and its cities the villages [that] inhabits Kedar let sing the inhabitants of Sela from the top of the mountains let them shout
יִשְׂא֤וּ מִדְבָּר֙ וְעָרָ֔יו חֲצֵרִ֖ים תֵּשֵׁ֣ב קֵדָ֑ר יָרֹ֙נּוּ֙ יֹ֣שְׁבֵי סֶ֔לַע מֵרֹ֥אשׁ הָרִ֖ים יִצְוָֽחוּ

יִשְׂא֤וּ  Let  lift  up  [their  voice] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
מִדְבָּר֙  the  wilderness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
וְעָרָ֔יו  and  its  cities 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
חֲצֵרִ֖ים  the  villages 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: חָצֵר 
Sense: court, enclosure.
תֵּשֵׁ֣ב  [that]  inhabits 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
קֵדָ֑ר  Kedar 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קֵדָר  
Sense: a son of Ishmael.
יָרֹ֙נּוּ֙  let  sing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רוּן 
Sense: to overcome.
יֹ֣שְׁבֵי  the  inhabitants 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
סֶ֔לַע  of  Sela 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: סֶלַע  
Sense: a place in Edom.
מֵרֹ֥אשׁ  from  the  top 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הָרִ֖ים  of  the  mountains 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
יִצְוָֽחוּ  let  them  shout 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: צָוַח  
Sense: (Qal) to shout, cry aloud, cry out.