1:13 Do not bring any more meaningless 1 offerings;
I consider your incense detestable! 2
You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations,
but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations! 3
17:8 They will no longer trust in 4 the altars their hands made,
or depend on the Asherah poles and incense altars their fingers made. 5
29:6 Judgment will come from the Lord who commands armies, 6
accompanied by thunder, earthquake, and a loud noise,
by a strong gale, a windstorm, and a consuming flame of fire.
32:13 Mourn 7 over the land of my people,
which is overgrown with thorns and briers,
and over all the once-happy houses 8
in the city filled with revelry. 9
34:2 For the Lord is angry at all the nations
and furious with all their armies.
He will annihilate them and slaughter them.
54:16 Look, I create the craftsman,
who fans the coals into a fire
and forges a weapon. 10
I create the destroyer so he might devastate.
1 tn Or “worthless” (NASB, NCV, CEV); KJV, ASV “vain.”
2 sn Notice some of the other practices that Yahweh regards as “detestable”: homosexuality (Lev 18:22-30; 20:13), idolatry (Deut 7:25; 13:15), human sacrifice (Deut 12:31), eating ritually unclean animals (Deut 14:3-8), sacrificing defective animals (Deut 17:1), engaging in occult activities (Deut 18:9-14), and practicing ritual prostitution (1 Kgs 14:23).
3 tn Heb “sin and assembly” (these two nouns probably represent a hendiadys). The point is that their attempts at worship are unacceptable to God because the people’s everyday actions in the socio-economic realm prove they have no genuine devotion to God (see vv. 16-17).
4 tn Heb “he will not gaze toward.”
5 tn Heb “and that which his fingers made he will not see, the Asherah poles and the incense altars.”
7 tn Heb “from the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts] there will be visitation.” The third feminine singular passive verb form תִּפָּקֵד (tippaqed, “she/it will be visited”) is used here in an impersonal sense. See GKC 459 §144.b.
10 tn “Mourn” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text vv. 12-13 are one long sentence.
11 tn Heb “indeed, over all the houses of joy.” It is not certain if this refers to individual homes or to places where parties and celebrations were held.
12 sn This same phrase is used in 22:2.
13 tn Heb “who brings out an implement for his work.”