Isaiah 42:21
New International Version
It pleased the LORD for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious.

New Living Translation
Because he is righteous, the LORD has exalted his glorious law.

English Standard Version
The LORD was pleased, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify his law and make it glorious.

Berean Standard Bible
The LORD was pleased, for the sake of His righteousness, to magnify His law and make it glorious.

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

New King James Version
The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake; He will exalt the law and make it honorable.

New American Standard Bible
The LORD was pleased for His righteousness’ sake To make the Law great and glorious.

NASB 1995
The LORD was pleased for His righteousness’ sake To make the law great and glorious.

NASB 1977
The LORD was pleased for His righteousness’ sake To make the law great and glorious.

Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh was pleased for His righteousness’ sake That He make the law great and majestic.

Amplified Bible
The LORD was pleased for His righteousness’ sake To make the law great and prove to be glorious.

Christian Standard Bible
Because of his righteousness, the LORD was pleased to magnify his instruction and make it glorious.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD was pleased, because of His righteousness, to magnify His instruction and make it glorious.

American Standard Version
It pleased Jehovah, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD always does right, and so he wanted his Law to be greatly praised.

English Revised Version
It pleased the LORD, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the law, and make it honourable.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD is pleased because he does what is right. He praises the greatness of his teachings and makes them glorious.

Good News Translation
The LORD is a God who is eager to save, so he exalted his laws and teachings, and he wanted his people to honor them.

International Standard Version
The LORD was pleased, for the sake of his vindication, that he should magnify his Law and make it glorious.

Majority Standard Bible
The LORD was pleased, for the sake of His righteousness, to magnify His law and make it glorious.

NET Bible
The LORD wanted to exhibit his justice by magnifying his law and displaying it.

New Heart English Bible
It pleased the LORD, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify the law, and make it honorable.

Webster's Bible Translation
The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable.

World English Bible
It pleased Yahweh, for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify the law and make it honorable.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
YHWH has delight for the sake of His righteousness, "" He magnifies law, and makes honorable.

Young's Literal Translation
Jehovah hath delight for the sake of His righteousness, He magnifieth law, and maketh honourable.

Smith's Literal Translation
Jehovah was pleased for sake of his justice; he will magnify the law and make glorious.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord was willing to sanctify him, and to magnify the law, and exalt it.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord was willing to sanctify him, and to magnify the law, and to exalt him.

New American Bible
It was the LORD’s will for the sake of his justice to make his teaching great and glorious.

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD was pleased, for the sake of his righteousness, to magnify his teaching and make it glorious.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law and make it honorable.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
LORD JEHOVAH was pleased because of his righteousness, that he would magnify the Law and glorify it
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The LORD was pleased, for His righteousness' sake, To make the teaching great and glorious.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The Lord God has taken counsel that he might be justified, and might magnify his praise.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel is Deaf and Blind
20Though seeing many things, you do not keep watch. Though your ears are open, you do not hear.” 21The LORD was pleased, for the sake of His righteousness, to magnify His law and make it glorious. 22But this is a people plundered and looted, all trapped in caves or imprisoned in dungeons. They have become plunder with no one to rescue them, and loot with no one to say, “Send them back!”…

Cross References
Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. / For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Romans 3:31
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.

Romans 10:4
For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.

Galatians 3:24
So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Hebrews 10:7-9
Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll: I have come to do Your will, O God.’” / In the passage above He says, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor did You delight in them” (although they are offered according to the law). / Then He adds, “Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second.

Matthew 3:15
“Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him.

John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:3-4
For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh, / so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Philippians 2:8
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.

Hebrews 8:10
For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Jeremiah 31:33
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Ezekiel 36:27
And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.

Psalm 40:8
I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”

Deuteronomy 30:6
The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.

Psalm 119:97
Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation.


Treasury of Scripture

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

well

Isaiah 1:24-27
Therefore saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: …

Isaiah 46:12,13
Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: …

Psalm 71:16,19
I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only…

he will

Psalm 40:8
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Matthew 3:15
And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

Matthew 5:17-20
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil…

it.

John 13:31,32
Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him…

John 17:4,5
I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do…

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Delight Glorious Great Honorable Honour Honourable Law Magnified Magnifieth Magnify Maketh Pleased Pleasure Righteousness Sake Teaching
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Delight Glorious Great Honorable Honour Honourable Law Magnified Magnifieth Magnify Maketh Pleased Pleasure Righteousness Sake Teaching
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.














The LORD was pleased
This phrase highlights the divine satisfaction and intentionality of God. The Hebrew root for "pleased" is "חָפֵץ" (chaphets), which conveys a sense of delight and desire. It underscores God's active engagement and joy in His creation and His plans. Historically, this reflects God's covenant relationship with Israel, where His pleasure is not arbitrary but deeply rooted in His character and purposes.

for the sake of His righteousness
Here, "righteousness" is derived from the Hebrew word "צֶדֶק" (tsedeq), which encompasses justice, rightness, and moral integrity. God's actions are always aligned with His righteous nature. This phrase indicates that God's motivation is not merely for human benefit but to uphold His own righteous standards. In a broader scriptural context, it points to the consistency of God's character throughout the Bible, where His righteousness is both a standard and a gift to His people.

to magnify His law
The term "magnify" comes from the Hebrew "גָּדַל" (gadal), meaning to make great or to exalt. God's law, or "תּוֹרָה" (torah), is not just a set of rules but a revelation of His will and character. By magnifying His law, God is elevating its importance and demonstrating its role in guiding His people. Historically, this reflects the period of Israel's history where the law was central to their identity and relationship with God.

and make it glorious
The word "glorious" is translated from the Hebrew "אָדָר" (adar), which implies beauty, honor, and splendor. God's law is not only magnified but also adorned with glory, reflecting its divine origin and purpose. In a scriptural context, this glory is ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, who embodies the law and reveals its full meaning and beauty. This phrase inspires believers to see God's commandments not as burdensome but as a reflection of His glorious nature and a path to true life.

(21) The Lord is well pleased . . .--The tenses require a change: The Lord was well pleased . . . He made His law great and glorious. This had been His purpose, and he had not failed in it. He had done all that it was possible to do. (Comp. Isaiah 5:4; Romans 9:4.)

Verse 21. - The Lord is well pleased; rather, the Lord was pleased, or it pleased the Lord. For his righteousness' sake; "because of his own perfect righteousness." He will magnify the Law; rather, to magnify the Law - to set it forth in its greatness and its glory before his people. It is not the original giving of the Law at Sinai only that is meant, but also its constant inculcation by a long series of prophets. Israel's experience (ver. 29) had included all this; but they had not profited by the instruction addressed to them.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The LORD
יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

was pleased
חָפֵ֖ץ (ḥā·p̄êṣ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2654: To incline to, to bend, to be pleased with, desire

for the sake of
לְמַ֣עַן (lə·ma·‘an)
Preposition
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

His righteousness,
צִדְק֑וֹ (ṣiḏ·qōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6664: The right, equity, prosperity

to magnify
יַגְדִּ֥יל (yaḡ·dîl)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1431: To grow up, become great

His law
תּוֹרָ֖ה (tō·w·rāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8451: Direction, instruction, law

and make it glorious.
וְיַאְדִּֽיר׃ (wə·ya’·dîr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 142: To expand, be great, magnificent


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 42:21 It pleased Yahweh for his righteousness' sake (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 42:20
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