Isaiah 42:2

2 He won't call attention to what he does with loud speeches or gaudy parades.

Isaiah 42:2 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 42:2

He shall not cry
. According to Aben Ezra and Kimchi, as a judge in court is obliged to extend his voice that he may be heard: the Evangelist Matthew renders it, "he shall not strive"; or contend in a disputatious way, about mere words and things to no profit, or litigate a point in law; he shall bring no complaints, or enter an action against any, but rather suffer wrong, as he advises his followers, ( Matthew 5:40 ) , for this does not respect the lowness of his voice in his ministry; in this sense he often cried, as Wisdom is said to do, ( Proverbs 1:20 Proverbs 1:21 ) ( 8:1-3 ) ( John 7:37 ) : "nor lift up"; that is, his voice, as Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech supply it; or, as others, he shall not lift up faces, or accept persons; and so the Vulgate Latin version renders it, neither shall he accept any person;
or the person of any man, which is true of Christ; but the former sense seems best, which agrees with what goes before and follows after: nor cause his voice to be heard in the street;
his voice was heard in the street in a ministerial way; he sometimes preached in the street, as in many other public places, ( Luke 13:26 ) , but not in a clamorous contentious way; not in an opprobrious and menacing manner; nor in a way of ostentation, boasting of himself, his doctrines, and miracles, but behaved with great humility and meekness; his kingdom was without pomp and noise, which worldly princes are attended with; but this was not to be, nor was it his case; (See Gill on Matthew 12:19).

Isaiah 42:2 In-Context

1 "Take a good look at my servant. I'm backing him to the hilt. He's the one I chose, and I couldn't be more pleased with him. I've bathed him with my Spirit, my life. He'll set everything right among the nations.

2 He won't call attention to what he does with loud speeches or gaudy parades.

3 He won't brush aside the bruised and the hurt and he won't disregard the small and insignificant, but he'll steadily and firmly set things right.

4 He won't tire out and quit. He won't be stopped until he's finished his work - to set things right on earth. Far-flung ocean islands wait expectantly for his teaching." The God Who Makes Us Alive with His Own Life

5 God's Message, the God who created the cosmos, stretched out the skies, laid out the earth and all that grows from it, Who breathes life into earth's people, makes them alive with his own life: