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Contemporary English Version
Isaiah 49:4
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- InternationalParallel Translations
But I myself said: I have labored in vain,I have spent my strength for nothing and futility;yet my vindication is with the Lord,and my reward is with my God.
But I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice [due] to me is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God.
Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord , and my work with my God.
But I said, "I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord , and my recompense with my God."
But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and futility; Nevertheless, the justice due to Me is with the LORD, And My reward is with My God."
But I said, "I have worked hard for nothing; I have used all my power, but I did nothing useful. But the Lord will decide what my work is worth; God will decide my reward."
Then I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity (pride, uselessness); However My justice is with the LORD, And My reward is with My God."
But I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice [due] to me is with Yahweh, and my recompense with my God.
And I said, I haue labored in vaine: I haue spent my strength in vaine and for nothing: but my iudgement is with the Lorde, and my woorke with my God.
But I said, "I have toiled in vain;I have spent My might for nothing and vanity;Yet surely the justice due to Me is with Yahweh,And My reward with My God."
But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength in futility and vanity; yet my vindication is with the LORD, and my reward is with my God."
But I said, "I have toiled in vain, spent my strength for nothing, futility." Yet my cause is with Adonai , my reward is with my God.
—And I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and in vain; nevertheless my judgment is with Jehovah, and my work with my God.
I said, "I worked hard for nothing. I wore myself out, but I did nothing useful. I used all my power, but I did not really do anything. So the Lord must decide what to do with me. He must decide my reward."
I have not said to the descendants of Jacob that I have labored in vain, nor that I have spent my strength for nought. Surely my judgment is before the LORD, and my work before my God.
I said, "I have worked, but how hopeless it is! I have used up my strength, but have accomplished nothing." Yet I can trust the Lord to defend my cause; he will reward me for what I do.
But I myself said, "I have labored in vain; I have used up my strength for nothing and vanity! Nevertheless, my justice is with Yahweh, and my reward is with my God."
Then I said, I have labored in vain; I have spent My strength for nothing, and in vain; yet surely My judgment is with Jehovah, and My work with My God.
Then answerde I: I shal lese my laboure, I shal spende my strength in vayne. Neuertheles, I wil commytte my cause and my worke vnto the LORDE my God.
But I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with Jehovah, and my recompense with my God.
And I said, I have undergone weariness for nothing, I have given my strength for no purpose or profit: but still the Lord will take up my cause, and my God will give me my reward.
But I said: 'I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God.'
Then I said; I haue laboured in vaine, I haue spent my strength for nought, and in vaine, yet surely my iudgement is with the Lord, and my worke with my God.
Then I aunswered: I haue lost my labour, I haue spent my strength in vayne: Neuerthelesse, I wyll commit my cause and my worke vnto the Lorde my God.
Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have given my strength for vanity and for nothing: therefore is my judgement with the Lord, and my labour before my God.
But I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my recompence with my God.
And Y seide, Y trauelide in veyn, Y wastide my strengthe with out cause, and veynli; therfor my doom is with the Lord, and my werk is with my God.
But I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice [due] to me is with Yahweh, and my recompense with my God.
Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for naught, and in vain; [yet] surely my judgment [is] with the LORD, and my work with my God.
But I thought, "I have worked in vain; I have expended my energy for absolutely nothing." But the Lord will vindicate me; my God will reward me.
Then I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, And my work with my God."'
I replied, "But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the Lord 's hand; I will trust God for my reward."
But I said, "My work has been for nothing. I have spent My strength for nothing. Yet for sure what should come to Me is with the Lord, and My reward is with My God."
But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the Lord , and my reward with my God."
But I, said, To no purpose, have I toiled, For waste and mist - my vigour, have I spent, - Surely, my vindication, is, with, Yahweh, And, my recompence, with my God.
And I said: I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength without cause and in vain: therefore my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.
But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God."
And I said, `For a vain thing I laboured, For emptiness and vanity my power I consumed, But my judgment [is] with Jehovah, And my wage with my God.
But I said, "I've worked for nothing. I've nothing to show for a life of hard work. Nevertheless, I'll let God have the last word. I'll let him pronounce his verdict."
But I said, "I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity; Yet surely the justice due to Me is with the LORD, And My reward with My God."
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
I have laboured: Isaiah 65:2, Ezekiel 3:19, Matthew 17:17, Matthew 23:37, John 1:11, Romans 10:21, Galatians 4:11
spent: Leviticus 26:20, 2 Corinthians 12:15
yet: Isaiah 53:10-12, Psalms 22:22-31, Luke 24:26, John 17:4, John 17:5, 2 Corinthians 2:15, Philippians 2:9, Philippians 2:10, Hebrews 12:2
work: or, reward, Isaiah 40:10, Isaiah 62:11
Reciprocal: Psalms 18:20 - rewarded Isaiah 40:27 - my judgment Isaiah 65:23 - shall Jeremiah 6:29 - in vain Zechariah 11:4 - Lord John 8:29 - he that sent 1 Corinthians 15:14 - General Galatians 2:21 - Christ Philippians 2:16 - that I have 1 Thessalonians 2:1 - in vain 1 Thessalonians 3:5 - and our
Cross-References
During their time there, Jacob's oldest son Reuben slept with Bilhah, who was one of Jacob's other wives. And Jacob found out about it.
When Jacob went to Egypt, his children who were born in northern Syria also went along with their families. Jacob and his wife Leah had a total of thirty-three children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, but two of their grandchildren had died in Canaan. Their oldest son Reuben took his sons Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. Their son Simeon took his sons Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, whose mother was a Canaanite. Their son Levi took his sons Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Their son Judah took his sons Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. Judah's sons Er and Onan had died in Canaan. Judah's son Perez took his sons Hezron and Hamul. Their son Issachar took his sons Tola, Puvah, Jashub, and Shimron. Their son Zebulun took his sons Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. Their daughter Dinah also went.
Jacob called his sons together and said: My sons, I am Jacob, your father Israel.
I never want to take part in your plans or deeds. You slaughtered people in your anger, and you crippled cattle for no reason.
Judah, you will be praised by your brothers; they will bow down to you, as you defeat your enemies.
Do not want anything that belongs to someone else. Don't want anyone's wife or husband, house, land, slaves, oxen, donkeys, or anything else.
Tribe of Reuben, you will live, even though your tribe will always be small.
Reuben was the oldest son of Jacob, but he lost his rights as the first-born son because he slept with one of his father's wives. The honor of the first-born son was then given to Joseph, even though it was the Judah tribe that became the most powerful and produced a leader. Reuben had four sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. The descendants of Joel included Shemaiah, Gog, Shimei, Micah, Reaiah, Baal, and Beerah, a leader of the Reuben tribe. Later, King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria took Beerah away as prisoner. The family records also include Jeiel, who was a clan leader, Zechariah, and Bela son of Azaz and grandson of Shema of the Joel clan. They lived in the territory around the town of Aroer, as far north as Nebo and Baal-Meon, and as far east as the desert just west of the Euphrates River. They needed this much land because they owned too many cattle to keep them all in Gilead. When Saul was king, the Reuben tribe attacked and defeated the Hagrites, then took over their land east of Gilead. The tribe of Gad lived in the region of Bashan, north of the Reuben tribe. Gad's territory extended all the way to the town of Salecah. Some of the clan leaders were Joel, Shapham, Janai, and Shaphat. Their relatives included Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber. They were all descendants of Abihail, whose family line went back through Huri, Jaroah, Gilead, Michael, Jeshishai, Jahdo, and Buz. Ahi, the son of Abdiel and the grandson of Guni, was the leader of their clan. The people of Gad lived in the towns in the regions of Bashan and Gilead, as well as in the pastureland of Sharon. Their family records were written when Jotham was king of Judah and Jeroboam was king of Israel. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh had 44,760 soldiers trained to fight in battle with shields, swords, bows, and arrows. They fought against the Hagrites and the tribes of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. Whenever these soldiers went to war against their enemies, they prayed to God and trusted him to help. That's why the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh defeated the Hagrites and their allies. These Israelite tribes captured fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, two thousand donkeys, and one hundred thousand people. Many of the Hagrites died in battle, because God was fighting this battle against them. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh lived in that territory until they were taken as prisoners to Assyria. East Manasseh was a large tribe, so its people settled in the northern region of Bashan, as far north as Baal-Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel were their clan leaders; they were well-known leaders and brave soldiers. The people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh were unfaithful to the God their ancestors had worshiped, and they started worshiping the gods of the nations that God had forced out of Canaan. So God sent King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria to attack these Israelite tribes. The king led them away as prisoners to Assyria, and from then on, he forced them to live in Halah, Habor, Hara, and near the Gozan River.
I have heard terrible things about some of you. In fact, you are behaving worse than the Gentiles. A man is even sleeping with his own stepmother.
All they think about is having sex with someone else's husband or wife. There is no end to their wicked deeds. They trick people who are easily fooled, and their minds are filled with greedy thoughts. But they are headed for trouble!
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Then I said,.... The Messiah said, by way of objection, in a view of what treatment he should meet with, or when entered on his work, and which he found by experience, what follows:
I have laboured in vain; this is not to be understood of the travail of his soul, or of his sufferings and death, which were not in vain, but issued in the redemption and salvation of his people; but of his ministry and miracles, and fatiguing journeys among the Jews; which, with respect to them, were in vain, as to their conversion and reformation; they rejecting the Messiah, slighting his doctrines and miracles, refusing to be gathered by him, being a faithless and perverse generation:
I have spent my strength for naught, and in vain; by frequent preaching and working of miracles, and travelling from place to place: the same thing is designed as before, repeated in other words, to express the certainty of it, to chew the ingratitude and wickedness of the people, and to utter the complaints of his mind:
yet surely my judgment is with the Lord; or is manifest before the Lord, as the Targum; the Lord knew that he had called him to his office; how prudently, diligently, and faithfully he had executed it; and what was his right and due, and which would be given him; and with this he corrects his former complaint, and makes himself easy, and quiets and satisfies his mind:
and my work with my God; or the reward of my works is before my God, as the Targum; and before himself also, Isaiah 40:10 as his work was assigned him by the Lord, so his reward was promised him, and which he knew he should have; and having done his work, be asked for his reward, and had it, John 17:4.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Then I said - I the Messiah. In the previous verses he speaks of his appointment to the office of Messiah, and of his dignity. The design here is to prepare the way for the announcement of the fact that he would make known his gospel to the pagan, and would be for a light to the Gentiles. For this purpose he speaks of his labors among his own countrymen; he laments the little success which attended his work at the commencement, but consoles himself with the reflection that his cause was with God, and that his labors would not go unrewarded.
I have labored in vain - This is to be regarded as the language of the Messiah when his ministry would be attended with comparatively little success; and when in view of that fact, he would commit himself to God, and resolve to extend his gospel to other nations. The expression used here is not to be taken absolutely, as if he had no success in his work, but it means that he had comparatively no success; he was not received and welcomed by the united people; he was rejected and despised by them as a whole. It is true that the Saviour had success in his work, and far more success than is commonly supposed (see the notes at 1 Corinthians 15:6). But it is also true that by the nation at large he was despised and and rejected. The idea here is, that there were not results in his ministry, at all commensurate with the severity of his labors, and the strength of his claims.
I have spent my strength for nought - Comparatively for nought. This does not mean that he would not be ultimately as successful as he desired to be (compare the notes at Isaiah 53:11); but it means, that in his personal ministry he had exhausted his strength, and seen comparatively little fruit of his toils.
Yet surely my judgment is with the Lord - My cause is committed to him, and he will regard it. This expresses the confidence of the speaker, that God approved of his work, and that he would ultimately give such effect to his labors as he had desired. The sense is, ‘I know that Jehovah approves my work, and that he will grant me the reward of my toils, and my sufferings.’
And my work with my God - Margin, ‘Reward’ (see the notes at Isaiah 40:10). The idea is, that he knew that God would own and accept his work though it was rejected by mankind. It indicates perfect confidence in God, and a calm and un wavering assurance of his favor, though his work was comparatively unsuccessful - a spirit which, it is needless to say, was evinced throughout the whole life of the Redeemer. Never did he doubt that God approved his work; never did he become disheartened and desponding, as if God would not ultimately give success to his plans and to the labors of his life. He calmly committed himself to God. He did not attempt to avenge himself for being rejected, or for any of the injuries done him. But he left his name, his character, his reputation, his plans, his labors, all with God, believing that his cause was the cause of God, and that he would yet be abundantly rewarded for all his toils. This verse teaches:
1. That the most faithful labors, the most self-denying toil, and the efforts of the most holy life, may be for a time unsuccessful. If the Redeemer of the world had occasion to say that he had labored in vain, assuredly his ministers should not be surprised that they have occasion to use the same language. It maybe no fault of the ministry that they are unsuccessful. The world may be so sinful, and opposition may be got up so mighty, as to frustrate their plans, and prevent their success.
2. Yet, though at present unsuccessful, faithful labor will ultimately do good, and be blessed. In some way, and at some period, all honest effort in the cause of God may be expected to be crowned with success.
3. They who labor faithfully may commit their cause to God, with the assurance that they and their work will be accepted. The ground of their acceptance is not the success of their labors. They will be acceptable in proportion to the amount of their fidelity and self-denying zeal (see the notes at 2 Corinthians 2:15-16).
4. The ministers of religion, when their message is rejected, and the world turns away from their ministry, should imitate the example of the Redeemer, and say, ‘my judgment is with Jehovah. My cause is his cause; and the result of my labors I commit to him.’ To do this as he did, they should labor as he did; they should honestly devote all their strength and talent and time to his service; and then they can confidently commit all to him, and then and then only they will find peace, as he did, in the assurance that their work will be ultimately blessed, and that they will find acceptance with him.
