Isaiah 10:20

10:20 At that time those left in Israel, those who remain of the family of Jacob, will no longer rely on a foreign leader that abuses them. Instead they will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 12:6

12:6 Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion,

for the Holy One of Israel acts mightily among you!”

Isaiah 17:7

17:7 At that time men will trust in their creator;

they will depend on 10  the Holy One of Israel. 11 

Isaiah 30:11-12

30:11 Turn aside from the way,

stray off the path. 12 

Remove from our presence the Holy One of Israel.” 13 

30:12 For this reason this is what the Holy One of Israel says:

“You have rejected this message; 14 

you trust instead in your ability to oppress and trick, 15 

and rely on that kind of behavior. 16 

Isaiah 41:14

41:14 Don’t be afraid, despised insignificant Jacob, 17 

men of 18  Israel.

I am helping you,” says the Lord,

your protector, 19  the Holy One of Israel. 20 

Isaiah 41:16

41:16 You will winnow them and the wind will blow them away;

the wind will scatter them.

You will rejoice in the Lord;

you will boast in the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 43:3

43:3 For I am the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, 21  your deliverer.

I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price,

Ethiopia and Seba 22  in place of you.

Isaiah 43:14

The Lord Will Do Something New

43:14 This is what the Lord says,

your protector, 23  the Holy One of Israel: 24 

“For your sake I send to Babylon

and make them all fugitives, 25 

turning the Babylonians’ joyful shouts into mourning songs. 26 

Exodus 15:11

15:11 Who is like you, 27  O Lord, among the gods? 28 

Who is like you? – majestic in holiness, fearful in praises, 29  working wonders?

Ezekiel 39:7

39:7 “‘I will make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; I will not let my holy name be profaned anymore. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 30 

Habakkuk 1:12-13

Habakkuk Voices Some Concerns

1:12 Lord, you have been active from ancient times; 31 

my sovereign God, 32  you are immortal. 33 

Lord, you have made them 34  your instrument of judgment. 35 

Protector, 36  you have appointed them as your instrument of punishment. 37 

1:13 You are too just 38  to tolerate 39  evil;

you are unable to condone 40  wrongdoing.

So why do you put up with such treacherous people? 41 

Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour 42  those more righteous than they are? 43 


tn Or “in that day.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

tn Heb “house” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

tn Heb “on one who strikes him down.” This individual is the king (“foreign leader”) of the oppressing nation (which NLT specifies as “the Assyrians”).

tn Or “sincerely”; KJV, ASV, NAB, NRSV “in truth.”

sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

tn Or “is great” (TEV). However, the context emphasizes his mighty acts of deliverance (cf. NCV), not some general or vague character quality.

tn Heb “in that day” (so ASV, NASB, NIV); KJV “At that day.”

tn Heb “man will gaze toward his maker.”

10 tn Heb “his eyes will look toward.”

11 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

12 sn The imagery refers to the way or path of truth, as revealed by God to the prophet.

13 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

14 tn The sentence actually begins with the word “because.” In the Hebrew text vv. 12-13 are one long sentence.

15 tn Heb “and you trust in oppression and cunning.”

16 tn Heb “and you lean on it”; NAB “and depend on it.”

17 tn Heb “O worm Jacob” (NAB, NIV). The worm metaphor suggests that Jacob is insignificant and despised.

18 tn On the basis of the parallelism (note “worm”) and an alleged Akkadian cognate, some read “louse” or “weevil.” Cf. NAB “O maggot Israel”; NRSV “you insect Israel.”

19 tn Heb “your kinsman redeemer.” A גָּאַל (gaal, “kinsman redeemer”) was a protector of the extended family’s interests.

20 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

21 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

22 sn Seba is not the same as Sheba in southern Arabia; cf. Gen 1:10; 1 Chr 1:9.

23 tn Or “kinsman redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.

24 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

25 tn Heb “and I bring down [as] fugitives all of them.”

26 tn The Hebrew text reads literally, “as for the Babylonians, in ships their joyful shout.” This might be paraphrased, “even the Babylonians in the ships [over which] they joyfully shouted.” The point would be that the Lord caused the Babylonians to flee for safety in the ships in which they took such great pride. A slight change in vocalization yields the reading “into mourning songs,” which provides a good contrast with “joyful shout.” The prefixed bet (בְּ) would indicate identity.

27 tn The question is of course rhetorical; it is a way of affirming that no one is comparable to God. See C. J. Labuschagne, The Incomparability of Yahweh in the Old Testament, 22, 66-67, and 94-97.

28 sn Verses 11-17 will now focus on Yahweh as the incomparable one who was able to save Israel from their foes and afterward lead them to the promised land.

29 tn S. R. Driver suggests “praiseworthy acts” as the translation (Exodus, 137).

30 sn The basic sense of the word “holy” is “set apart from that which is commonplace, special, unique.” The Lord’s holiness is first and foremost his transcendent sovereignty as the ruler of the world. He is “set apart” from the world over which he rules. At the same time his holiness encompasses his moral authority, which derives from his royal position. As king he has the right to dictate to his subjects how they are to live; indeed his very own character sets the standard for proper behavior. This expression is a common title for the Lord in the book of Isaiah.

31 tn Heb “Are you not from antiquity, O Lord?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Yes, of course.” The present translation reflects the force of the rhetorical question, rendering it as an affirmation. When used in a temporal sense the phrase מִקֶדֶם (miqedem) means “from antiquity, ancient times,” often referring to earlier periods in Israel’s history. See its use in Neh 12:46; Pss 74:12; 77:11; Isa 45:21; 46:10; Mic 5:2.

32 tn Heb “My God, my holy one.” God’s “holiness” in this context is his sovereign transcendence as the righteous judge of the world (see vv. 12b-13a), thus the translation “My sovereign God.”

33 tc The MT reads, “we will not die,” but an ancient scribal tradition has “you [i.e., God] will not die.” This is preferred as a more difficult reading that can explain the rise of the other variant. Later scribes who copied the manuscripts did not want to associate the idea of death with God in any way, so they softened the statement to refer to humanity.

34 tn Heb “him,” a collective singular referring to the Babylonians. The plural pronoun “them” has been used in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.

35 tn Heb “for judgment.”

36 tn Heb “Rock” or “Cliff.” This divine epithet views God as a place where one can go to be safe from danger. The translation “Protector” conveys the force of the metaphor (cf. KJV, NEB “O mighty God”).

37 tn Heb “to correct, reprove.”

38 tn Heb “[you] are too pure of eyes.” God’s “eyes” here signify what he looks at with approval. His “eyes” are “pure” in that he refuses to tolerate any wrongdoing in his presence.

39 tn Heb “to see.” Here “see” is figurative for “tolerate,” “put up with.”

40 tn Heb “to look at.” Cf. NEB “who canst not countenance wrongdoing”; NASB “You can not look on wickedness with favor.”

41 tn Heb “Why do you look at treacherous ones?” The verb בָּגַד (bagad, “be treacherous”) is often used of those who are disloyal or who violate agreements. See S. Erlandsson, TDOT 1:470-73.

42 tn Or “swallow up.”

43 tn Heb “more innocent than themselves.”