14:29 Don’t be so happy, all you Philistines,
just because the club that beat you has been broken! 1
For a viper will grow out of the serpent’s root,
and its fruit will be a darting adder. 2
42:13 The Lord emerges like a hero,
like a warrior he inspires himself for battle; 7
he shouts, yes, he yells,
he shows his enemies his power. 8
45:23 I solemnly make this oath 9 –
what I say is true and reliable: 10
‘Surely every knee will bow to me,
every tongue will solemnly affirm; 11
51:5 I am ready to vindicate, 12
I am ready to deliver, 13
I will establish justice among the nations. 14
The coastlands 15 wait patiently for me;
they wait in anticipation for the revelation of my power. 16
62:1 “For the sake of Zion I will not be silent;
for the sake of Jerusalem 17 I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines brightly 18
and her deliverance burns like a torch.”
1 sn The identity of this “club” (also referred to as a “serpent” in the next line) is uncertain. It may refer to an Assyrian king, or to Ahaz. For discussion see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:331-32. The viper/adder referred to in the second half of the verse is his successor.
2 tn Heb “flying burning one.” The designation “burning one” may allude to the serpent’s appearance or the effect of its poisonous bite. (See the note at 6:2.) The qualifier “flying” probably refers to the serpent’s quick, darting movements, though one might propose a homonym here, meaning “biting.” (See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:332, n. 18.) Some might think in terms of a mythological flying, fire breathing dragon (cf. NAB “a flying saraph”; CEV “a flying fiery dragon”), but this proposal does not make good sense in 30:6, where the phrase “flying burning one” appears again in a list of desert animals.
3 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn Heb “Cush” (so NASB); NIV, NCV “the Cushite king of Egypt.”
5 tn Heb “heard concerning Tirhakah king of Cush, ‘He has come out to fight with you.’”
6 tn The Hebrew text has, “and he heard and he sent,” but the parallel in 2 Kgs 19:9 has וַיָּשָׁב וַיִּשְׁלַח (vayyashav vayyishlakh, “and he returned and he sent”), i.e., “he again sent.”
5 tn Heb “like a man of war he stirs up zeal” (NIV similar).
6 tn Or perhaps, “he triumphs over his enemies” (cf. NIV); NLT “will crush all his enemies.”
7 tn Heb “I swear by myself”; KJV, NASB “have sworn.”
8 tn Heb “a word goes out from my mouth [in] truth and will not return.”
9 tn Heb “swear” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “confess allegiance.”
9 tn Heb “my righteousness [or “vindication”] is near.”
10 tn Heb “my deliverance goes forth.”
11 tn Heb “and my arms will judge [on behalf of] nations.”
12 tn Or “islands” (NIV); TEV “Distant lands.”
13 tn Heb “for my arm” (so NIV, NRSV).
11 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
12 tn Heb “goes forth like brightness.”