45:23 I solemnly make this oath 6 –
what I say is true and reliable: 7
‘Surely every knee will bow to me,
every tongue will solemnly affirm; 8
56:1 This is what the Lord says,
“Promote 9 justice! Do what is right!
For I am ready to deliver you;
I am ready to vindicate you openly. 10
59:9 For this reason deliverance 11 is far from us 12
and salvation does not reach us.
We wait for light, 13 but see only darkness; 14
we wait for 15 a bright light, 16 but live 17 in deep darkness. 18
59:17 He wears his desire for justice 19 like body armor, 20
and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. 21
He puts on the garments of vengeance 22
and wears zeal like a robe.
61:11 For just as the ground produces its crops
and a garden yields its produce,
so the sovereign Lord will cause deliverance 23 to grow,
and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations. 24
62:1 “For the sake of Zion I will not be silent;
for the sake of Jerusalem 25 I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines brightly 26
and her deliverance burns like a torch.”
58:2 They seek me day after day;
they want to know my requirements, 27
like a nation that does what is right
and does not reject the law of their God.
They ask me for just decrees;
they want to be near God.
60:17 Instead of bronze, I will bring you gold,
instead of iron, I will bring you silver,
instead of wood, I will bring you 28 bronze,
instead of stones, I will bring you 29 iron.
I will make prosperity 30 your overseer,
and vindication your sovereign ruler. 31
61:10 I 32 will greatly rejoice 33 in the Lord;
I will be overjoyed because of my God. 34
For he clothes me in garments of deliverance;
he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. 35
I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would;
I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry. 36
1 tn Heb “are like.”
2 sn The twofold appearance of the statement “a remnant will come back” (שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב, she’ar yashuv) in vv. 21-22 echoes and probably plays off the name of Isaiah’s son Shear-jashub (see 7:3). In its original context the name was meant to encourage Ahaz (see the note at 7:3), but here it has taken on new dimensions. In light of Ahaz’s failure and the judgment it brings down on the land, the name Shear-jashub now foreshadows the destiny of the nation. According to vv. 21-22, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that a remnant of God’s people will return; the bad news is that only a remnant will be preserved and come back. Like the name Immanuel, this name foreshadows both judgment (see the notes at 7:25 and 8:8) and ultimate restoration (see the note at 8:10).
3 tn Or “predetermined”; cf. ASV, NASB “is determined”; TEV “is in store.”
4 tn צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah) often means “righteousness,” but here it refers to God’s just judgment.
5 tn Or “is about to overflow.”
6 tn Heb “I swear by myself”; KJV, NASB “have sworn.”
7 tn Heb “a word goes out from my mouth [in] truth and will not return.”
8 tn Heb “swear” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “confess allegiance.”
11 tn Heb “guard”; KJV “Keep”; NAB “Observe”; NASB “Preserve”; NIV, NRSV “Maintain.”
12 tn Heb “for near is my deliverance to enter, and my vindication [or “righteousness”] to be revealed.”
16 tn מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat), which refers to “justice” in the earlier verses, here refers to “justice from God,” or “vindication.” Because the people are unjust, God refuses to vindicate them before their enemies. See v. 11.
17 sn The prophet speaks on behalf of the sinful nation and confesses its sins.
18 sn Light here symbolizes prosperity and blessing.
19 tn Heb “but, look, darkness”; NIV “but all is darkness.”
20 tn The words “we wait for” are supplied in the translation; the verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
21 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
22 tn Or “walk about”; NCV “all we have is darkness.”
23 tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.
21 tn Or “righteousness” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NCV “goodness.”
22 tn Or “a breastplate” (traditional; so many English versions); TEV “a coat of armour.”
23 tn Heb “and [as] a helmet deliverance on his head.”
24 tn Heb “and he puts on the clothes of vengeance [as] a garment.”
26 tn Or perhaps, “righteousness,” but the context seems to emphasize deliverance and restoration (see v. 10 and 62:1).
27 tn Heb “and praise before all the nations.”
31 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
32 tn Heb “goes forth like brightness.”
36 tn Heb “ways” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV); NLT “my laws.”
41 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the preceding lines).
42 tn The words “I will bring you” are supplied in the translation; they are understood by ellipsis (see the first two lines of the verse).
43 tn Or “peace” (KJV and many other English versions).
44 tn The plural indicates degree. The language is ironic; in the past Zion was ruled by oppressive tyrants, but now personified prosperity and vindication will be the only things that will “dominate” the city.
46 sn The speaker in vv. 10-11 is not identified, but it is likely that the personified nation (or perhaps Zion) responds here to the Lord’s promise of restoration.
47 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
48 tn Heb “my being is happy in my God”; NAB “in my God is the joy of my soul.”
49 tn Heb “robe of vindication”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “robe of righteousness.”
50 tn Heb “like a bridegroom [who] acts like a priest [by wearing] a turban, and like a bride [who] wears her jewelry.” The words “I look” are supplied for stylistic reasons and clarification.