A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
He will not break a damaged reed, and he will not put out a dimly burning wick. He will bring justice based on truth.
God is describing someone who will be gentle with the weak and vulnerable, carefully nurturing them back to strength while establishing true justice.
📚 Historical Context
This verse is part of Isaiah's prophecy about the coming Messiah, written around 700 BC during a time when Israel faced threats from powerful enemies. The imagery of bruised reeds and smoking wicks would have been familiar to people of that era - reeds were common writing instruments that could be easily damaged, and oil lamps with dimly burning wicks were part of daily life.
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