The Meaning of Isaiah 42:21 Explained

Isaiah 42:21

KJV: The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable.

YLT: Jehovah hath delight for the sake of His righteousness, He magnifieth law, and maketh honourable.

Darby: Jehovah had delight in him for his righteousness' sake: he hath magnified the law, and made it honourable.

ASV: It pleased Jehovah, for his righteousness'sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The LORD  is well pleased  for his righteousness'  sake; he will magnify  the law,  and make [it] honourable. 

What does Isaiah 42:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Here is what the Israelites were blind and deaf to: the teaching of Yahweh. The law in view here probably includes all of what God had revealed to His people that enabled them to come into relationship with Him and to live lives of fulfillment as His creatures. The Lord glorified this instruction (Heb. torah) because He is righteous; He does what is right for the welfare of people, and that involves revealing His gracious will to them.

Context Summary

Isaiah 42:14-25 - A Deaf And Blind Messenger
There are times in our lives when God seems to hold His peace. Evil is rife, bad men prosper, society lies under the spell of vice. It is only temporary, however. Then God comes forth out of the silence, and shows Himself "strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him." He brings the blind "by a way that they knew not," and makes "the crooked places straight."
These wonderful things are wrought not for the wise and holy alone, but for the blind and the deaf, who nevertheless desire to serve Him. See Isaiah 42:19. God's help is not conditioned by our merit, but by our faith. In the eyes of men we may be the least fit to claim divine succor. But our deficiencies and failures constitute our most eloquent claim-God knew what we were, before He ever stooped to identify Himself with us. He is pleased to help us "for His righteousness' sake." His name and character must be maintained. Therefore He has magnified the law and made it honorable by the matchless obedience and death of His only begotten Son. See Galatians 4:4-5. [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 42:21 mean?

Yahweh is well pleased for sake His righteousness' He will exalt the law and make [it] honorable
יְהוָ֥ה חָפֵ֖ץ לְמַ֣עַן צִדְק֑וֹ יַגְדִּ֥יל תּוֹרָ֖ה וְיַאְדִּֽיר

יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
חָפֵ֖ץ  is  well  pleased 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָפֵץ 
Sense: to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with.
לְמַ֣עַן  for  sake 
Parse: Preposition
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
צִדְק֑וֹ  His  righteousness' 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צֶדֶק  
Sense: justice, rightness, righteousness.
יַגְדִּ֥יל  He  will  exalt 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
תּוֹרָ֖ה  the  law 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
וְיַאְדִּֽיר  and  make  [it]  honorable 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָדַר  
Sense: to be great, be majestic, wide, noble (poetic).