22:6 The Elamites picked up the quiver,
and came with chariots and horsemen; 1
the men of Kir 2 prepared 3 the shield. 4
21:2 I have received a distressing message: 5
“The deceiver deceives,
the destroyer destroys.
Attack, you Elamites!
Lay siege, you Medes!
I will put an end to all the groaning!” 6
1 tn Heb “[with] the chariots of men, horsemen.”
2 sn A distant region in the direction of Mesopotamia; see Amos 1:5; 9:7.
3 tn Heb “Kir uncovers” (so NAB, NIV).
4 sn The Elamites and men of Kir may here symbolize a fierce army from a distant land. If this oracle anticipates a Babylonian conquest of the city (see 39:5-7), then the Elamites and men of Kir are perhaps viewed here as mercenaries in the Babylonian army. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:410.
5 tn Heb “a severe revelation has been related to me.”
6 sn This is often interpreted to mean “all the groaning” that Babylon has caused others.
9 tn Or “in that day” (KJV). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
10 tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonai).
11 tc The Hebrew text reads, “the sovereign master will again, a second time, his hand.” The auxiliary verb יוֹסִיף (yosif), which literally means “add,” needs a main verb to complete it. Consequently many emend שֵׁנִית (shenit, “a second time”) to an infinitive. Some propose the form שַׁנֹּת (shannot, a Piel infinitive construct from שָׁנָה, shanah) and relate it semantically to an Arabic cognate meaning “to be high.” If the Hebrew text is retained a verb must be supplied. “Second time” would allude back to the events of the Exodus (see vv. 15-16).
12 tn Or “acquire”; KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV “recover.”
13 tn Heb “the remnant of his people who remain.”
14 sn Perhaps a reference to Upper (i.e., southern) Egypt (so NIV, NLT; NCV “South Egypt”).
15 tn Or “Ethiopia” (NAB, NRSV, NLT).
16 tn Or “Babylonia” (NIV, NCV, TEV, NLT).
17 tn Or perhaps, “the islands of the sea.”