Isaiah 42:2

2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.

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 "Behold My Servant, whom I uphold, Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth: I have put My Spirit upon Him; He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench; He shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He hath set judgment in the earth; and the isles shall wait for His law."
5 Thus saith God the LORD--He that created the heavens and stretched them out, He that spread forth the earth and that which cometh out of it, He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.