Isaiah 25:7-8

25:7 On this mountain he will swallow up

the shroud that is over all the peoples,

the woven covering that is over all the nations;

25:8 he will swallow up death permanently.

The sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from every face,

and remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth.

Indeed, the Lord has announced it!


tn The Hebrew text reads, “the face of the shroud, the shroud over all the nations.” Some emend the second הַלּוֹט (hallot) to a passive participle הַלּוּט (hallut, “that is wrapped”).

sn The point of the imagery is unclear. Perhaps the shroud/covering referred to was associated with death in some way (see v. 8).

sn The image of the Lord “swallowing” death would be especially powerful, for death was viewed in Canaanite mythology and culture as a hungry enemy that swallows its victims. See the note at 5:14.

tn Heb “has spoken” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).